Denver Civic Center: Difference between revisions
Bluedude588 (talk | contribs) Clarifying differences between neighborhood, park, and district. |
restore version as of time of AFD opening. Best to keep that way until Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Golden Triangle, Denver is resolved. |
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{{Infobox settlement |
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[[Image:Civiccenter1.JPG|thumb|250px|Civic Center view of the Greek amphitheater.]] |
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| name = Civic Center |
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| settlement_type = Neighborhood |
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| image_skyline = Civiccenter1.JPG |
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| image_caption = Civic Center view of the Greek amphitheater |
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| subdivision_name1 = Colorado |
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| subdivision_name2 = Denver |
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| population_as_of = 2010 |
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| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Census Neighborhood Demographics (2010) |url=https://www.denvergov.org/opendata/dataset/city-and-county-of-denver-census-neighborhood-demographics-2010 |publisher=City of Denver}}</ref> |
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| population_total = 1577 |
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| postal_code_type = [[ZIP codes]] |
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| postal_code = 80202, 80203, 80204 |
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}} |
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'''Civic Center''' is a [[neighborhood]] |
'''Civic Center''' is a [[neighborhood]] in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The area is known as the center of the civic life in the city, with numerous institutions of arts, government, and culture as well as numerous festivals, parades, and protests throughout the year. The [[park]] bearing the same name is home to a fountain, several statues, and formal gardens, and includes a Greek [[amphitheater]], a war memorial, and the Voorhies Memorial Seal Pond. It is well known for its symmetrical [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] design. |
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==Geography== |
==Geography== |
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[[File:Civic Center Park. View from Bannock St.jpg|thumb|Civic Center Park. View from Bannock St.]] |
[[File:Civic Center Park. View from Bannock St.jpg|thumb|Civic Center Park. View from Bannock St.]] |
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Civic Center is located in central Denver just south of the [[Downtown Denver|Central Business District]]. The |
Civic Center is located in central Denver just south of the [[Downtown Denver|Central Business District]]. The park is located at the intersection of [[Colfax Avenue]] and Broadway, perhaps the best-known and most important streets in Denver. The park borders are defined as Bannock Street on the west, Lincoln Street on the east, Colfax Avenue on the north, and 14th Avenue on the south. The institutions surrounding the civic center are generally thought of as part of the Civic Center area, and future plans for the civic center would extend the area further west all the way to Speer Boulevard. |
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Civic Center is also a neighborhood defined by the Denver city government, but is probably identified in the minds of Denverites as the "[[Golden Triangle, Denver, Colorado|Golden Triangle]]." The borders of this neighborhood are Speer Boulevard on the west and south, Broadway on the east, and Colfax Avenue on the north. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Civic Center was an idea that originated with former Denver mayor [[Robert W. Speer]]. In 1904, Speer proposed a series of civic improvements based on the [[City Beautiful]] Ideas shown to him at the 1893 [[World Columbian Exposition]] in [[Chicago]]. |
Civic Center was an idea that originated with former Denver mayor [[Robert W. Speer]]. In 1904, Speer proposed a series of civic improvements based on the [[City Beautiful]] Ideas shown to him at the 1893 [[World Columbian Exposition]] in [[Chicago]]. |
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Speer hired [[Charles Mulford Robinson]] among others to develop plans for the area. Robinson proposed extending 16th Street to the [[Colorado State Capitol]] and to group other municipal buildings around a central park area. |
Speer hired [[Charles Mulford Robinson]] among others to develop plans for the area. Robinson proposed extending 16th Street to the [[Colorado State Capitol]] and to group other municipal buildings around a central park area. However, the plan was defeated in a 1907 election.{{cn|date=August 2019}} |
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Undaunted, Speer gathered business leaders who brought in new ideas for the Civic Center including the creation of an east-west axial between the [[Colorado State Capitol]], and swinging the north and south borders of the park into the city grid system. |
Undaunted, Speer gathered business leaders who brought in new ideas for the Civic Center including the creation of an east-west axial between the [[Colorado State Capitol]], and swinging the north and south borders of the park into the city grid system. |
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These plans were stalled when in 1912, Speer was replaced as mayor. The new mayor brought in [[Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.]] who was developing plans for [[Denver Mountain Parks|Denver's mountain parks]]. His ideas included an informal grove of trees on the eastern edge of the park, and a lighted concert area. |
These plans were stalled when in 1912, Speer was replaced as mayor. The new mayor brought in [[Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.]] who was developing plans for [[Denver Mountain Parks|Denver's mountain parks]]. His ideas included an informal grove of trees on the eastern edge of the park, and a lighted concert area.{{cn|date=August 2019}} |
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When Speer was reelected in 1916, he |
When Speer was reelected in 1916, he re-pursued{{clarify|date=August 2019}} his ideas about the Civic Center, hiring Chicago planner and architect [[Edward H. Bennett]], a protégé of [[Daniel Burnham]]. Bennett combined the ideas of all of the previous plans, adding the Greek amphitheater, the [[Colonnade]], the seal pond, and the realignment of Colfax Avenue and 14th Ave., around the park. The park officially opened in 1919. The [[Denver City and County Building|City and County Building]] was also built around this time.{{clarify|date=August 2019}} |
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==Institutions== |
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Civic Center continues to undergo many transformations. The [[Denver Art Museum]]'s new wing was completed in fall 2006, further developing the neighborhood's art scene, which includes various art galleries and the [[Curious Theatre Company]]. Denver's new justice center and jail opened in late 2010. Denver startups and venture-funded companies like [[Convercent]] are locating in area as well.<ref>https://venturebeat.com/2013/08/12/convercent-just-moved-into-one-of-the-coolest-new-startup-offices-in-denver</ref> |
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[[Image:DenverCivicCenter gobeirne.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Civic Center and Colorado State Capitol from the [[Denver Art Museum]].]] |
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Civic Center has long been the government, arts, history, and learning nexus of both the state of [[Colorado]] and the [[Denver Metropolitan Area]]. |
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Among the institutions in the Civic Center are [[Denver Art Museum]], and the [[Denver Public Library]]'s Central Library along the parks south side, the [[Colorado State Capitol]] and the [[City and County Building of Denver]] along the east and west axis of the park, the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building on the park's north side, and the [[History Colorado Museum]] and the Colorado State Judicial Building towards the southeast of the park. The [[Denver Mint]] lies immediately west of the Civic Center Park across the street from the City and County Building. |
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==The future== |
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The average sales price for a home in Golden Triangle in June 2016 was $659,900.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usajrealty.com/market-insights/golden-triangle-museum-district|title=Golden Triangle Market Data|last=|first=|date=July 7, 2016|website=Usaj Realty|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref> |
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The city and county have proposed changes to make the area more accessible to the downtown population in the north and the museums towards the south. Some of these changes include adding newer pedestrian crossings, bus areas and kiosks. One proposal would tunnel Colfax Avenue beneath the park and convert the former road bed to a pedestrian plaza.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} |
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The area has seen a new civic development, including the Denver Newspaper Agency (northeast of the park), the home of ''[[The Denver Post]]''. Voters in 2004 approved a new Denver Justice Center, two blocks away from Civic Center Park. These new buildings will change the dynamic of the area with some in The Colorado Office of Architecture and Historic Preservation<ref>{{cite web|title=Historic Preservation in Colorado|url=http://www.cde.state.co.us/stateinfo/slstphistbib.htm|publisher=State of Colorado|accessdate=2012-11-21}}</ref> worrying that the [[architecture]] of the two buildings, especially the Justice Center, (which will have the city [[County jail|jail]]) could disrupt the historic design of the park. Denver hopes to alleviate these concerns by incorporating the buildings into future Civic Center planning. |
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==Arts and culture== |
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Civic Center is known throughout the state as the host for the largest and most important cultural and civic events. Being at the center of the state and local government institutions, Civic Center has become the place for political statement for various groups and individuals representing a variety of causes. In 1990 and 1991, the Civic Center was the location of the [[Champ Car|CART]] [[Grand Prix of Denver]]. |
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==Events== |
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Civic Center is known throughout the state as the [[wikt:rendezvous|rendezvous]] for the largest and most important cultural and civic events. Being at the center of the state and local government institutions, Civic Center has become the place for political statement for various groups and individuals representing a variety of causes. In 1990 and 1991, the Civic Center was the location of the [[Champ Car|CART]] [[Grand Prix of Denver]]. |
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It was Civic Center where the public held a vigil for the victims of [[Columbine High School massacre]], and [[9/11]]. Former presidential candidate and Denver native [[John Kerry]] made a 2004 campaign stop at Civic Center, and 2008 Democratic nominee [[Barack Obama]] gave a speech there on October 26, 2008 to more than 120,000 supporters. |
It was Civic Center where the public held a vigil for the victims of [[Columbine High School massacre]], and [[9/11]]. Former presidential candidate and Denver native [[John Kerry]] made a 2004 campaign stop at Civic Center, and 2008 Democratic nominee [[Barack Obama]] gave a speech there on October 26, 2008 to more than 120,000 supporters. |
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[[File:Greta Thunberg (48882848248).jpg|thumb|200px|Greta Thunberg delivering a speech from the Denver Civic Center in October 2019]] |
[[File:Greta Thunberg (48882848248).jpg|thumb|200px|Greta Thunberg delivering a speech from the Denver Civic Center in October 2019]] |
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On |
On 11 october 2019, a [[School strike for climate|Friday school climate strike]] with [[Greta Thunberg]] in front of thousands of people, was held there.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/denver/greta-thunberg-tells-denver-rally-we-are-the-change|title=Greta Thunberg tells Denver rally|newspaper=Denver Channel|language=English|date=11 October 2019|accessdate=12 October 2019}}</ref> |
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===Annual Cultural Events=== |
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Civic Center is also the location for many annual events. These include: |
Civic Center is also the location for many annual events. These include: |
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* January - The City and County Building has a [[Christmas]] lights display up until the [[National Western Stock Show]] ends in mid January. |
* January - The City and County Building has a [[Christmas]] lights display up until the [[National Western Stock Show]] ends in mid January. |
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* October - The park is the end point for a [[Columbus Day]] parade that often brings protests from [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] groups. |
* October - The park is the end point for a [[Columbus Day]] parade that often brings protests from [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] groups. |
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* December - The Parade of Lights ends at the City and County Building which has holiday lights from the beginning of the parade until the [[National Western Stock Show]]. |
* December - The Parade of Lights ends at the City and County Building which has holiday lights from the beginning of the parade until the [[National Western Stock Show]]. |
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[[Image:DenverCivicCenter gobeirne.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Civic Center and Colorado State Capitol from the [[Denver Art Museum]].]] |
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===Attractions=== |
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====Museums==== |
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*[[Denver Art Museum]] |
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*[[Clyfford Still Museum]] |
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*[[Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art]] |
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*[[Byers–Evans House|Byers–Evans House Museum]] |
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====Government related==== |
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*[[Denver Public Library]] - Central location |
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*Denver City and County Building |
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*[[Denver Mint]] |
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====Others==== |
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*Civic Center Park |
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[[Image:Denver mosaic.jpg|center|thumb|550px|Civic Center from the [[Colorado State Capitol]].]] |
[[Image:Denver mosaic.jpg|center|thumb|550px|Civic Center from the [[Colorado State Capitol]].]] |
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{{Neighborhoods of Denver}} |
{{Neighborhoods of Denver}} |
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{{Denver}} |
{{Denver}} |
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[[Category:Neighborhoods in Denver]] |
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Denver]] |
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[[Category:Squares in the United States]] |
[[Category:Squares in the United States]] |
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Revision as of 22:45, 10 December 2019
39°44′22″N 104°59′20″W / 39.73944°N 104.98889°W
Civic Center is a neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. The area is known as the center of the civic life in the city, with numerous institutions of arts, government, and culture as well as numerous festivals, parades, and protests throughout the year. The park bearing the same name is home to a fountain, several statues, and formal gardens, and includes a Greek amphitheater, a war memorial, and the Voorhies Memorial Seal Pond. It is well known for its symmetrical Neoclassical design.
Geography
Civic Center is located in central Denver just south of the Central Business District. The park is located at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Broadway, perhaps the best-known and most important streets in Denver. The park borders are defined as Bannock Street on the west, Lincoln Street on the east, Colfax Avenue on the north, and 14th Avenue on the south. The institutions surrounding the civic center are generally thought of as part of the Civic Center area, and future plans for the civic center would extend the area further west all the way to Speer Boulevard.
Civic Center is also a neighborhood defined by the Denver city government, but is probably identified in the minds of Denverites as the "Golden Triangle." The borders of this neighborhood are Speer Boulevard on the west and south, Broadway on the east, and Colfax Avenue on the north.
History
Civic Center was an idea that originated with former Denver mayor Robert W. Speer. In 1904, Speer proposed a series of civic improvements based on the City Beautiful Ideas shown to him at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Speer hired Charles Mulford Robinson among others to develop plans for the area. Robinson proposed extending 16th Street to the Colorado State Capitol and to group other municipal buildings around a central park area. However, the plan was defeated in a 1907 election.[citation needed]
Undaunted, Speer gathered business leaders who brought in new ideas for the Civic Center including the creation of an east-west axial between the Colorado State Capitol, and swinging the north and south borders of the park into the city grid system.
These plans were stalled when in 1912, Speer was replaced as mayor. The new mayor brought in Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. who was developing plans for Denver's mountain parks. His ideas included an informal grove of trees on the eastern edge of the park, and a lighted concert area.[citation needed]
When Speer was reelected in 1916, he re-pursued[clarification needed] his ideas about the Civic Center, hiring Chicago planner and architect Edward H. Bennett, a protégé of Daniel Burnham. Bennett combined the ideas of all of the previous plans, adding the Greek amphitheater, the Colonnade, the seal pond, and the realignment of Colfax Avenue and 14th Ave., around the park. The park officially opened in 1919. The City and County Building was also built around this time.[clarification needed]
Institutions
Civic Center has long been the government, arts, history, and learning nexus of both the state of Colorado and the Denver Metropolitan Area. Among the institutions in the Civic Center are Denver Art Museum, and the Denver Public Library's Central Library along the parks south side, the Colorado State Capitol and the City and County Building of Denver along the east and west axis of the park, the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building on the park's north side, and the History Colorado Museum and the Colorado State Judicial Building towards the southeast of the park. The Denver Mint lies immediately west of the Civic Center Park across the street from the City and County Building.
The future
The city and county have proposed changes to make the area more accessible to the downtown population in the north and the museums towards the south. Some of these changes include adding newer pedestrian crossings, bus areas and kiosks. One proposal would tunnel Colfax Avenue beneath the park and convert the former road bed to a pedestrian plaza.[citation needed]
The area has seen a new civic development, including the Denver Newspaper Agency (northeast of the park), the home of The Denver Post. Voters in 2004 approved a new Denver Justice Center, two blocks away from Civic Center Park. These new buildings will change the dynamic of the area with some in The Colorado Office of Architecture and Historic Preservation[1] worrying that the architecture of the two buildings, especially the Justice Center, (which will have the city jail) could disrupt the historic design of the park. Denver hopes to alleviate these concerns by incorporating the buildings into future Civic Center planning.
Events
Civic Center is known throughout the state as the rendezvous for the largest and most important cultural and civic events. Being at the center of the state and local government institutions, Civic Center has become the place for political statement for various groups and individuals representing a variety of causes. In 1990 and 1991, the Civic Center was the location of the CART Grand Prix of Denver.
It was Civic Center where the public held a vigil for the victims of Columbine High School massacre, and 9/11. Former presidential candidate and Denver native John Kerry made a 2004 campaign stop at Civic Center, and 2008 Democratic nominee Barack Obama gave a speech there on October 26, 2008 to more than 120,000 supporters.
.jpg)
On 11 october 2019, a Friday school climate strike with Greta Thunberg in front of thousands of people, was held there.[2]
Civic Center is also the location for many annual events. These include:
- January - The City and County Building has a Christmas lights display up until the National Western Stock Show ends in mid January.
- March – Civic Center is at the end of one of the longest St. Patrick's Day parades in the nation.
- April - Mile High 420 Festival an annual pro-cannabis rally/ cannabis culture gathering is held in Civic Center every year on April 20, otherwise known as 420.
- May - Denver has a large Cinco de Mayo festival, held at Civic Center.
- June - Civic Center is host to the People's Fair, a bohemian festival with various music, art, political booths, and other happenings; PrideFest, the annual gay pride festival is held at Civic Center, which is also the endpoint of the parade.
- Summer - There are various theatre and music events held throughout the summer at the Greek amphitheater.
- Summer - Each Wednesday night, the Denver Cruiser Ride stops at the Greek amphitheater, which riders refer to as the "Circle of Death."
- September - A Taste of Colorado is a food and music festival held during Labor Day weekend at the park.
- October - The park is the end point for a Columbus Day parade that often brings protests from American Indian groups.
- December - The Parade of Lights ends at the City and County Building which has holiday lights from the beginning of the parade until the National Western Stock Show.
See also
References
- ^ "Historic Preservation in Colorado". State of Colorado. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "Greta Thunberg tells Denver rally". Denver Channel. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
External links
Neighborhoods of the City and County of Denver | ||
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| Central |  | |
| North of CBD | ||
| Northeast of CBD | ||
| Northwest of CBD | ||
| South of CBD | ||
| Southeast of CBD | ||
| East of CBD | ||
| West of CBD | ||
| Historic Districts | ||
