Inside the 16th Street Mall Renovation with Dig Studio
May 1, 2025
About the event: Please join Denver Architecture Foundation and Dig Studio for a tour of Denver’s newly renovated 16th Street Mall! We’ll start with a brief presentation of the project at Dig Studio, located at 1521 15th Street. From there, we’ll embark on a walking tour of 16th Street, starting at 16th Street and Blake and concluding back at Dig Studio. Attendees will learn about the design and construction process, outreach to the adjacent business owners, and universal access requirements along the way.
About 16th Street: Forty years after its initial installation, the 16th Street Mall faced the imperative for a comprehensive revitalization effort. Following a thorough Environmental Assessment and Public Life study, a dedicated design-build team was enlisted to undertake the complete restoration of the mall. The 16th Street Mall stands as one of Denver’s most iconic landmarks, celebrated for its exceptional design, enduring materials, and its esteemed status as a civic space. It holds the official recognition as eligible or inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The primary objective of this project was to address the deteriorating infrastructure while ensuring a sustainable maintenance plan. Additionally, the redesign aimed to enhance safety for pedestrians and vehicles, while also creating more opportunities for public use, fostering leisure, commerce, and social interaction.
Dig Studio provided Landscape Architecture and Urban Design services for the project.
About the Tour Guides: Chris Brueckner, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP, WEDG, is a Senior Associate at Dig Studio. His keen eye and ability to recognize context and connections help inform his designs and help his clients. Chris’ passion for the built and natural environments drives him to create work that is of its place and respectful to both his clients’ needs and stakeholders’ concerns. His experience includes mixed-use developments, urban infill, campus and town planning, parks, plazas, urban streetscapes, and corridor studies, including the renovation of Denver’s 16th St Mall.
Bill Vitek, FASLA, is a Co-Founder and Senior Principal at Dig Studio. He is a strategic thinker who tackles complex design and planning problems with creativity and passion. He brings over 35 years of expertise in urban design, land planning, and landscape architecture to focus on creating lasting projects and healthy sustainable communities. Bill leads many of the firm’s urban design, public realm and urban forestry initiatives at a variety of scales, and for both public and private clients, including the renovation of Denver’s 16th St Mall, which will become the largest structured cell installation of trees in the nation.
Accessibility: The tour covers approximately half a mile through downtown Denver and concludes with a happy hour at the Dig Studio office.
Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.