DENVER — A downtown Denver businessman is not impressed with the revitalization of the 16th Street Mall and has come up with his own proposal to draw in visitors — and it involves a gondola system.
“Something different and new and vibrant that creates new spaces for people to say to themselves, 'Wow, we've never seen that before,'” Ryan Ross told Denver7.
Ross has lived in Denver for 40 years and has an office on the 16th Street Mall.
He said current revitalization efforts are not attracting visitors. The City of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership have been working to upgrade the area, with a reopening event planned for the weekend of May 30, when much of the new construction will likely be completed.
Ross wants the city to add a three-loop gondola system on the mall, which would provide “on-demand transportation to within steps of wherever they want to go anywhere in or near downtown.”
“It would transport people seamlessly, easily. It's much better for the climate, and it’s a much better way to create a downtown scene that people want to be a part of,” Ross said.
His plan also includes a moving covered sidewalk that would operate year-round, as well as a 500- to 1,000-seat amphitheater for concerts and movies.
Ross explained that the plan would play up the state's love of outdoor recreation and rebrand downtown Denver as an entertainment destination.
All of this, he believes, could be funded within the $550 million tax increment financing plan approved by voters last year.
Right now, the plan is a dream with a few incredible visual renderings of what the future of downtown Denver could be.
Ross is trying to build public support for the plan and get Mayor Mike Johnston and City Council to eventually implement it.
“My hope is that Mayor Johnston and his team at City Hall recognize that this is something worth spending a lot of time and money examining closely and seeing how and when they can put it together,” Ross said.
Ross created a nonprofit called New Downtown Denver to advance the project. You can find all the plans and renderings on NewDowntownDenver.org.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.