Insider Tour: 16th St with Historic Denver
September 26, 2025
About the tour: We’ll start with a brief presentation of the project at Downtown Denver Partnership’s, located at 1515 Arapahoe Street. From there, we’ll embark on a walking tour of 16th Street, concluding at D&F Clock Tower at 1601 Arapahoe Street. 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 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. The 16th Street 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, Senior Associate, Dig Studio. Chris brings a keen eye for context and a strong ability to uncover meaningful connections that shape responsive, place-based design. Passionate about both the built and natural environments, he creates work that balances client goals with stakeholder needs. His experience spans mixed-use development, campus and town planning, parks, plazas, urban streetscapes, and corridor studies. Notable projects include the 16th Street renovation, the 9CO redevelopment, Heron Pond/Heller Open Space/Carpio-Sanguinette Park, and the CU Boulder Engineering Building. A skilled graphic communicator and expert in construction detailing, Chris translates design vision into built form at every scale.
Mark Barnhouse, Author and Publicist. Denver-born Mark A. Barnhouse has written and published ten books focused on Denver’s history, including Denver’s Sixteenth Street, Lost Department Stores of Denver, and Vanished Denver Landmarks; an eleventh volume, Historic Cemeteries of Denver, is forthcoming in 2026. He’s been fascinated by downtown Denver since he was a small child and credits Sandra Dallas and Thomas J. Noel, “Dr Colorado,” as inspirations for his work.
Kate Barton, Chief of External Affairs and Managing Director, Downtown Denver Partnership. Kate leads the Downtown Denver Partnership’s efforts to engage the community and works in tandem with the President and CEO to lead the organization, internally and externally. As the Chief of External Affairs, Kate oversees leads external functions including strategic partnerships, communications, marketing, fundraising and development, stakeholder and community relations, and policy and public affairs, in collaboration with senior-level management for each focus area. She is charged with engagement and creating partnerships with public- and private-sector leadership across the community and ensuring that the story of the Partnership and Downtown Denver are consistent and powerful. As Managing Director, Kate also guides strategy around internal business operations, governance and board relations, with an eye on premier service delivery, accountability and community impact, in addition to overall fiscal and operational performance of the organization.
Prior to the Partnership, Kate lived in New York City primarily working for Vibrant Media, a digital advertising technology company. Her roles ranged from marketing to strategic operations. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and a Master of Business Administration at the University of Denver. Kate serves on the Board of Directors for Judi’s House, and the Auraria Higher Education Center, and is a member of the Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee. She has been recognized in the Denver Business Journal’s 40 under 40 in 2020 and was a 2015 Emerging Leader Fellow from the International Downtown Association.
Bill Vitek, FASLA, PLA, Principal, Co-Founder, Dig Studio. Bill is a strategic thinker who tackles complex design and planning problems with creativity and passion. He brings over 40 years of knowledge and strategic thinking in urban design, land planning, and landscape architecture to focus on creating lasting projects and healthy sustainable communities locally as well as globally. Bill leads many of the firm’s large-scale, strategic projects that focus on sustainability, appropriate water use, urban forestry, and public placemaking. He also has extensive experience with landscapes that work within our arid climate and utilize water wise plant materials and installation techniques to manage appropriate water usage. Some of Bill’s key local Denver area projects include the 16th St. Renovation, Central Park (former Stapleton airport) Open Space, Parks and Parkways, Market Street Station, Vermijo Streetscape at the US Olympic Museum, City Park Golf Course Tree Restoration and Protection Program and Canyons South Master Planned Community.
Accessibility: The tour covers approximately half a mile through downtown Denver and concludes with a happy hour at the D&F Clock Tower at 1601 Arapahoe Street. The clocktower is wheelchair accessible, however please contact our staff at gro.e1757453806rutce1757453806tihcr1757453806arevn1757453806ed@ol1757453806leh1757453806 so we can make proper arrangements.
Refund policy: The Denver Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization. Ticket sales support the Foundation in continuing to provide quality events to the public. We are unable to provide refunds or credits for any reason less than 14 days prior to the event.
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.
Photo provided curtesy of Dig Studios