Denver's Central Business District Gets New Name: 'Upper Downtown' Or 'UpDo'
DENVER (CBS4) - RiNo, LoHi and LoDo are just some of the nicknames for Denver neighborhoods. On Wednesday, the Downtown Denver Partnership announced a new one – UpDo, which stands for Upper Downtown.
The new name for the city's Central Business District is part of a plan to revitalize and transform the area into a mixed-use development with business, retail, residents and tourism. The plan is a partnership with the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District and the city.
"The Upper Downtown Plan will take the Upper Downtown district from being primarily a business center to being a more complete mixed-use district, complete with stronger mobility connections, a better pedestrian experience, and programming and events," said Randy Thelen, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the Downtown Denver Partnership. "This high-density, pedestrian-oriented area will bring a rich mixture of ground floor uses and activities, multi-modal streets, and attractive and distinctive public rights-of-way that connect well to adjacent districts, attractions, and amenities."
The Upper Downtown District is bordered by Colfax Avenue, North Grant Street, 14th Street, Champa Street and 20th Street. It is also home to the Colorado Convention Center and nearly 19.5 million square feet of office floor area, according to officials.
The Downtown Denver Partnership predicts the 'UpDo' district will be responsible for at least one-fifth of all downtown employment growth in the next 20 years.