City of Denver
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment wants the city to buld a bridge dubbed “Wynkoop Crossing,” which would connect Chopper Circle to Wewatta Street on the other side of Speer Boulevard. The idea is to boost business revenue around downtown by feeding more foot traffic into the area, and paving the way for the development of a hotel and shopping plaza in front of Ball Arena, home of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche…and owned by KSE.
KSE has been pushing the bridge since last September, shortly before the company secured Denver City Council approval to work on a massive, 55-acre redevelopment plan around Ball Arena over the next two decades. And this past week, it showed its plans to the Downtown Design Advisory Board, which approved advancing the plan to a design-development phase.
In their comments on the Westword Facebook post of Bennito L. Kelty’s story, readers have plenty to say about the proposed bridge. Says Randy:
What a waste of money.
Adds Ellen:
Speer is one of the few ways into downtown…so by all means, let’s screw it up yet again for months/years.
Responds Randal:
Downtown Denver is in desperate need of better attractions, clothing stores, immersive exhibits,and more affordable food options to stimulate a positive money stream for the city and the locals.
Wonders Zack:
What the fuck is it with Denver and bridges lately?
Answers Robert:
City planners are too scared to do anything that might temporarily inconvenience the drivers that kill a hundred Denverites a year.
Adds Kevin:
That crossing is very dangerous for pedestrians. What I don’t get is why Denver doesn’t use elevated crosswalks.
Offers James:
Okay, I can see this. It takes pedestrians totally off the street, so drunks will have to hit something else.
Concludes Bobby:
Any disruptions of present or future businesses and residents who live, work in the area s? RTD bus routes? Wow! Who is paying for this twenty-year project? It may all look good from an architectural rendering perspective, but what are the pros and cons of disruption’ and loss of neighborhoods? Excellent reporting by Bennito L. Kelty. See ya at the Grand Opening around July 4, 2045 or so…
What do you think of the Wynkoop Crossing plan? Post a comment of whare your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.
