DENVER — Anxiety is mounting over Denver councilmembers' decision to delay a $1.7 million contract for a group tasked with helping to revitalize the city's downtown, but the group remains optimistic.
The Downtown Denver Partnership said it hopes to get approval for the funding so it could keep the momentum of its efforts going for the heart of the city, which is beset by construction woes, office vacancies and the perception of crime and open-air drug use.
The contract, which uses money from the American Rescue Plan Act, is designed to support pieces of the 15-block retail space as it slowly reopens following a $172.5 million construction project.
Kourtney Garret, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, said chief of those aims is to help ensure a full and successful reopening of the mall after the project's completion.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration has aggressively pushed to make downtown a “vibrant” city center, and he has shown a willingness to pour money into the revitalization.
The funding request for the $1.7 million in ARPA dollars outlines three solutions for improving the mall: a grant program for businesses to expand their patios or improve their facades, filling in vacant spaces and organizing block "activations."
Denver has doled out approximately $4 million in ARPA funding toward revitalizing downtown, according to the city’s dashboard.
