Denver's LoDo District, Inc. offers insight into their Cummunications and Public Relations efforts.

By Jim Theye, Kentwood City Properties and LoDo District
President.

… as published recently in the Downtown Denver News …

Lots of the work that goes on within the LoDo District, Inc. is focused on efforts to keep long-term
goals moving forward.  Its rewarding to see some of our goals achieved, but
it can often be fairly anticlimactic when it happens.  This is fine – we
are likely already working on the next round of issues when the old ones
manifest themselves.

As a group, we sometimes find ourselves perhaps overly focused on the issues
at hand.  We need to look around once in a while and see how far we have
come.  In the interest of public relations, our Communications Committee is
tasked with reflecting on and describing some of our efforts within the
community.  As a volunteer member of that committee, I want to help get the
word out, but it is not my goal to toot our horn too loudly.  I just hope
to show that our involvement places us at the table where the decisions are
made, and which enables us to make a real difference in lower downtown. 

The LoDo District Inc. is
active not just within our local community and downtown Denver but regionally
and beyond.  We find ourselves in the role of the enabler and convener;
identifying the issues and bringing people to the table.  We take an
organic approach and our agenda is not static.  We promote dialog and
community education, so that various constituent interests can join in an
educated discussion and work toward a consensus with the best possible
outcome.  We have simple goals which include maintaining the quality of
life in the District through improvements in the pedestrian experience,
including urban design, retail amenities, parking, accessibility, and the
like.

As a group, the Lodo District organization is uniquely able to stay
in front of the curve on issues that affect our community.  Our board
membership is broad, and we sit at the table with some heavy hitters. It gives
us access to decision makers at the highest level.  As example, we gather
and disseminate information at various committees for the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP),
educational forums, committees with City of Denver, Denver Union Station (DUS)
advisory panels, etc.  Members of the LoDo District truly represent
constituent interests.

We often take a progressive stance, which benefits the community through an
active leadership role.  Current examples include our involvement with Bell
Park and the formation of the new overlay district.  Board Member Shannon
Gifford and Past President Dave Moore are actively involved with the DUS master
developer advisory committee.  And we interview and make recommendations
for Design Review (LDDDRB) candidates.

An important current issue is the formation of a lower downtown parking
district.  We are spearheading efforts to identify applicable approaches to
resolving this long-term issue.  We try to take a rational and educated
approach, and look through the pressing chaos to see the bigger picture. 
Regarding parking, we know the solution must maintain and further the integrity
of the historic district.  We must figure out how to manage the impact of
growth within our midst: more cars and more people cannot adversely affect the
pedestrian experience on our streets and sidewalks.  Our parking lots are
going away, and we know from experience that placing the entire burden for
parking on the developer is not going to work forever.  We can’t just
require new development to provide a minimum parking requirement and assume the
issue will take care of itself.  Not when your next door neighbor is a
regional inter-modal transportation hub – you have to look a little deeper.

We recently brought in parking guru Greg Holle to speak on the parking
paradigm shifts he is observing across the country.  Greg spoke to a large
LoDo audience, and the community interest was amazing.  Parking and the
applicable zoning that defines it are changing, and it takes foresight and
tremendous effort to keep ahead of the game.  By looking ahead, we see that
modifications to the applicable B-7 zoning requirements may be required. 
We are working on the long-term solution now, and we hope to make a difference
before it is too late.

The Downtown Denver
Partnership is taking on the parking issue as they ramp up for their updated
Downtown Area Plan.  The lower downtown constituency is well represented,
with LoDo’s Executive Director Fabby Hillyard on the steering committee joined
by LoDo board member Shannon Gifford.  Local community leaders Dana
Crawford and Jerry Glick are also involved at these early discussions.

New development within and around our historic district is a topic of
tremendous community interest.  The Design Review Board and Landmark
Commission are here to guide new development within their established
guidelines.  But someone has to look at the bigger picture, and work to
mitigate the pressure points like parking, transportation, pedestrian
connectivity that happen on the fringes of new development.  Fortunately,
the LoDo District, Inc. and
other neighborhood associations are taking an active role to help maintain our
quality of life in this wonderful LoDo community.

Get involved with your LoDo District, and help make a difference in your
community.  Check us out at http://www.lodo.org/, or phone the new
office at 303-628-5428. 

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