This is our fourth collaboration between DenverUrbanism and UrbanDesignPodcast.com, a great podcast run by local urban designer Arina Habich. Each quarter, DenverUrbanism hosts a roundtable discussion about a timely Denver urbanism topic which Arina produces as a podcast on UrbanDesignPodcast.com. Our three podcasts so far have covered the Denver Union Station project, Downtown Denver’s 14th Street Initiative, and the future of Downtown’s Arapahoe Square district. This quarter, we take a look at Denver’s historic Civic Center Park and its surrounding district.

Civic Center Park is Denver’s hallowed ground. The park is the civic heart of the community. Ringed by Denver’s most important government and cultural institutions and a century’s worth of architectural icons, the Park and its surrounding district are in the midst of a significant revitalization. New programs and events are activating the Park like never before, and millions of dollars of rehabilitation work and new infrastructure have put the sparkle back on the Park’s physical features. New museums and infill developments nearby continue to enliven the surrounding area.

Our roundtable conversation about Denver’s Civic Center, hosted by Ken Schroeppel, includes Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, executive director of the Civic Center Conservancy, and Mark Bernstein, Downtown Area parks planner for the Denver Parks & Recreation Department. Our discussion covers the Park’s history, current efforts to rejuvenate the Park, and what the future may hold for Denver’s treasured Civic Center.

Urban Design Podcast #202: Denver’s Civic Center

You can also download the podcast from iTunes by clicking here.