Speer Boulevard and Cherry Creek Visioning Study
A vision plan to realign a bustling boulevard and revitalize a beloved creek

With this opportunity, Denver can showcase equity, not only from an accessibility and land-use perspective, but through economic sustainability, flood control and management. Improved outfalls expand spaces for flooding and infiltration, bioswales, and other designed conveyance channels can contribute to a corridor that functions ecologically and hydrologically, while also enabling safe, welcoming, and active public use. Additionally, color, form, and design details can all be utilized to add emphasis to vertical connections, moments of play or pause, and highlights for important pieces of green infrastructure.

Analyzing urban adjacencies, along with the sectional constraints and opportunities, led the design team to consider how four main character zones along the study corridor could emerge as a unique, yet interconnected spaces:

Confluence Extension
The Confluence of the South Platte and Cherry Creek is the heart of this district. Connecting Confluence Park to Centennial Gardens will connect people to an expanded rivers-edge park.

Wewatta Narrows 
Future pedestrian and bike connections can be realized through at-grade intersection improvements and can provide connection to the planned pedestrian bridge over Speer Boulevard near Ball Arena. Opportunities exist to recognize the historic channelized Creek in this location and to introduce new public spaces. Two large, city-controlled parcels near Auraria Parkway hold high economic value and iconic potential for redevelopment to serve as gateways to both the Auraria Campus and downtown Denver.

Larimer Terraces
Development at street level provides a continuous urban street experience, activated by retail, indoor and outdoor dining, and other uses valuable to both students and downtown residents. Development at Creek level will activate recreation amenities, parks, and trail spaces.

Champa and Auraria
Using the abandoned Speer right of way enables the expansion of a Sculpture Park, the inclusion of programming to advance the mission of the Arts Complex, and connection to the Auraria Campus. The ecology and hydrology of the Creek is the draw: providing the canvas for seamless connections between campus and city culture.

While the design of each zone varies slightly to respond to unique contexts, constraints, and opportunities, several unifying moves remain constant along the corridor. Speer Boulevard can become a space not only for vehicles, but one that equally prioritizes people moving in a variety of ways. Cherry Creek is restored to its fullest possible ecological health and vitality, and the design of public spaces provide wayfinding and a unifying identity to the corridor.