Special Weekend For 16th Street Mall Includes Music, Art
By Stan Bush
DENVER (CBS4) - The Downtown Denver Partnership hopes a new campaign will change the perception of life on the 16th Street Mall.
On Saturday the organization is beginning their first Meet in the Street weekend. Shuttle buses will not go through the mall that will close for live music and public art. A more subdued version of the campaign will continue through the end of August.
"Crime is down and it was never actually very high to be honest, but people felt a different environment," said Tami Door, CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. "Now we're getting incredible feedback and we're excited to share that with everyone."
A year ago the extra security, better lighting and permitting to use alleys were implemented on the mall to clean up drug traffic and homeless camping in the area. Door says the program has worked. The area is currently under an extensive federal environmental review to plot out the future of the mall.
Some of the changes being displayed this weekend could become permanent.
"There's some unique benching experience that really unites people. It is artistically created. Perhaps that's something that we'll build in a more permanent manner and add as a permanent feature of the mall," Door said.
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.
