Visioning

The vision for Midtown is that it will be a vital district, with a mix of uses and activities that serve a broad spectrum of the community. It will have a distinct identity to distinguish it from other parts of the city, and will serve as a destination in its own right.

Streets will be inviting to pedestrians and bicyclists, with attractive street edges, and active urban plazas and spaces. Signature features, including public art and civic facilities will be located strategically throughout the area and serve as identifiers for smaller areas within Midtown and invite year-round use.
 
Midtown will become an urban district of choice for many residents and an important economic generator for the city. It also should serve abutting residential neighborhoods and be conveniently accessible from them with the improvements of existing and addition of new streets throughout Midtown.
 
The Max line will become a central spine in Midtown, just as College Avenue is. New development will be of high quality, sustainable urban form that supports a pedestrian environment and fronts onto Max through four-sided block development. Key intersections will connect pedestrian, bike and auto traffic, from College Avenue to Max with distinctive, identifiable streetscapes, signage and wayfinding.
 
College Avenue will continue to be a major north-south regional connection, but new development will be more urban in nature and buildings will address College with parking in back, rather than the reverse that exists today.

Potential Sub-Districts

Boardwalk to Horsetooth

This area contains a broad mix of frontage styles including buildings set up to the street, car dealership with parking area parking lots etc. The best option here is to utilize the design elements of continuity with streetlights, flowerpots, plazas, and landscaping. Themed walls may also make sense in these locations.

Horsetooth to Swallow

Largely characterized by car dealerships and the Foothills Mall, commerce is largely about national brands and large footprints. The street frontage in these locations varies with some frontage roads, parking, and other locations where the buildings face directly onto College. District identity here is perhaps best defined through larger components of identity which build upon corridor character continuity. Flowerpots, street intersection enhancements, median landscaping, art, and signs, will help define these locations.

Swallow to Drake

This  area is defined by distinctive parallel frontage roads and many small footprint users. Each side of College in this area has an opportunity to capitalize on these frontage roads by highlighting the frontages as special locations. As mentioned above in the urban design theme elements, highlighting these roads through special treatment and through having storefronts engage with the frontage through creative urban design, this sub district offers a unique and exciting setting for making people places. Through special paving, storefront treatment, widened pedestrian ways, flowerpots and other ornate treatments, these areas will become unique and inviting as a place to go and hangout.

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