Continuing on with my Downtown Reinvestment series, we are going to look at the improvements being made at Benedict Fountain Park. This park, being a natural separator between Five Points and Uptown, has not had a great reputation in the past with the park itself was starting to get in bad shape. With the help of the Office of Economic Development and Denver Urban Renewal Authority grants, Benedict Fountain Park is now going under a major renovation!
Improvements to the park include the addition of a new playground, picnic area, improvements to the fountain area, new paths for improved park circulation, a better definition of major park corners and entry points along with lighting improvements which will include: eight uplight fixtures around the fountain, eight new pedestrian lights around the new playground, plaza, and park walk and the replacement of all the current globe lights in the park for better quality of light. Here are some conceptual plans for the park.
Construction started in early June and a construction fence now wraps around the entire park. You can clearly see improvements are underway.
Benedict Fountain Park has always been a great park right outside of the city center with, of course, a neat fountain!
Improvements for Benedict Fountain Park should be done by Fall of this year.
Are they are going to fix the plumbing and get the fountain operational? I hate to see beautiful fountains sit for years without water in them.
Worse than non-operational fountain, it was also surrounded by a tall fence for the past year or two.
I passed the Park/Fountain at least once a week on foot. The fountain was leaning and when it was on created lots of splash and puddle on one side. Likely why the barricade was around it. It is very clear that the fountain has been leveled. I would think since the money was put into leveling it, the fountain may run again. I am keeping an eye on the park so I may walk it fresh when it first opens. I only wish the fountain was on for a bit when the park re opens. For me the fountain is the highlight.
I think it’s worth noting that the Grant/Tremont/20th Ave. instersection is getting cleaned up, as well. Along with 19th and 20th Ave turning into bi-directional streets, this will help make this area much easier to navigate.
NO! Really is this official? One way streets are so much easier/safer to cross than the dang 2 ways. Why are they doing this? It frustrates me. Same goes with biking. I would much rather bike on a one way street than a 2 way. Much more to keep track off.. Unfortunate…
Not to mention right now 19th and 20th are steady moving streets. Making them 2 way is just going to add to the bog.
Really? I don’t find Glenarm any more difficult to cross than say Welton. And I would much rather spend time as a pedestrian on Wazee than say Blake. 2-ways with on street parking instantly make the area much quieter and inviting for pedestrians. This part of uptown is going to feel like Lodo in a few years.
I agree. The development and investment in Uptown in the past 2 years alone has been unreal.
For what, a car? Please…
I live 1 block from Benedict Fountain Park and I am very happy to see this park getting cleaned up. The skyline from this park is one of the prettiest in the city not to mention you get a great view of the One Lincoln Park high-rise residential building which is my personal favorite building. I really hope this reinvestment will benefit both the park and the neighborhood as this park has been a notorious hang out for crime and the homeless which then mas brought tons of litter all over the park.