I define a "new urbanist retail center" as a two-lane street with retail on either side. Preferably it would have a town square or park in the middle. It would be pleasant for walking, and it also may be a nice place to work. It may have some restaurants or a pub. It may have parking lots on the outskirts. These nice areas are surprisingly rare in the vast cultural wastelands of the suburbs.
1.
29th Avenue/Founder's Green in Stapleton. This is in the city of Denver but close enough. The focal point is Founder's Green, which is laid out on an east-west axis. It has a stage for live music.
For centuries, towns were built around a central green — a place where people gathered for community events or just to relax and watch the world go by. The same goes for Stapleton. Lined by oak trees and distinguished by a sculptural fountain, Stapleton’s Founders Green has an urban formality to its design. And a festive vibe that makes it the perfect Denver venue.
The area (Founder's Green and 29th Ave/29th Place which circles it) is in the shape of a cylinder. On both the east and west ends, the building curve to match the street. Four-story buildings surround the green, which are mostly residential, but with retail on the bottom. The building to the north is still under construction but will be completed soon. When it is finished, it will seem like this is a "historical" part of Denver, like it is 100 years old. It has a European or at least East Coast vibe. It is urban planning genius. Bravo.
2.
Main Street at Northfield Stapleton/Valentia St. This is really kind of an outdoor mall, with hardly any green to be seen, except for some trees. There are some "formal" parks a few blocks north on Valentia St. The "downtown" area, (also called "The Shops at Northfield Stapleton"), is only 2 blocks long, but the cross streets (46th Avenue, 47th Avenue, 48th Street) also have retail, so this is really about an 8 block district rather than just a street, making these seem like an old downtown that is undergoing urban renewal, surrounded by parking lots where the slums used to be. (Except there never were slums - this used to be an airport).
The south end is anchored by an 18-screen cinema, but disappointingly enough, there isn't a distinctive sign to draw your eye. The north end is anchored by a Macy's. What is missing here is residential, but there are some beautiful townhomes just a few blocks to the north. The soccer stadium where the Colorado Rapids play is within walking distance. The charms of the area grow on you. Which is amazing because this is very close to 2 highways (I-70 and I-270) which are constantly jammed, and to industrial areas to the east and west.
3.
Southlands Main Street. I have written about it before, where I called it "
the nicest urban center in Aurora". It is the largest non-enclosed mall in the U.S. I put it number 3 here because it doesn't seem as authentic as the above two. The heart of Southlands is the square, which I can't find the name of so I am calling it "Compass Rose Square" because that it looks like a giant compas rose from above. The middle of the rose is a fountain, and during the summer, kids run through it. There is an ice cream shop nearby.
To the north is a cinema, which has a nice vertical eye-catching vertical sign, making it seem like something from the 1920's. The main street bends a few blocks to the south. There isn't an anchor to the south, just a busy 6 lane boulevard.
This almost qualifies as a new urbanist area, but there is no place to live nearby, well, not within walking distance. There are certainly thousands of houses around, where the soccer moms would drive the kids to the mall to run through the fountain and get ice cream (because there is nothing else to do in the 'burbs), while she shops at Macy's. Oops, there is no Macy's here. But there is a Walmart and a Sam's Club.
4.
Ursula Street at Anschutz. Ok, this isn't a retail center, except for a CVS pharmacy and an Ursula Brewery. It is all residential. But it has an authentic feel to it. This seems like it could be in Chicago or someplace. There is a formal garden park (the only one within the city limits of Aurora). The apartment buildings on either side of Ursula Street are 4 stories tall and have balconies, which would be nice for watching a parade or the drunken mob on Mardi Gras. (Except nothing like that ever happens around here). To the south there are skyscrapers, well Aurora's version of them. There are 3 or 4 12-story hospitals. To the north, you can catch the
light rail station in the middle of nowhere.
5.
Cedar Avenue. This is basically a strip mall, but surprisingly nice. There are actually about 3 blocks with stores on either side. The west end is dominated by a 4 story Venetian tower, with great views from the top. (Probably, that is, if anyone was allowed to climb it, which no one is). You can eat at the outdoor cafe and drink wine while you watch the people walk by. Not really. But you can order a Jamba juice and sit at a cast iron table on a cast iron chair and read a book from a nearby Barnes and Noble. There is also a Starbuck's a few blocks down. A few blocks away to the east is a beautiful lake with fountains. (Except I doubt if anyone has ever walked from Cedar Avenue to the lake, because you can't see it from a distance, and you would have to walk several blocks through a parking lot to get there). While we are in the mood to walk, there is also a light rail station about 4 blocks away. But back to Cedar Avenue. There is no park here, unless you count a parking lot. And no Macy's. But there is a Target, if you feel like walking across a huge parking lot. Overall, not bad. Definitely, better than your average suburban strip mall.
6.
Garden Drive. This is the showpiece of Havana Gardens. Except I don't know where any gardens are, unless you count a couple of vacant lots. There is an interesting obelisk sculpture about 12 feet tall on the east end, and some cast iron benches in front of gravel. Maybe it is a rock garden? You could eat at an Applebee's or Buffalo Wild Wings or get some yogurt. And there is a Target.
7.
Second Avenue in Lowry. This is just a few blocks long, but it has an small-townish feel to it. There is a nice square here with a very large 5 pointed star surrounded by a circle, which makes me think of Texas. Unfortunately there is no fountain. You could actually sit outside at a cafe and look at the Texas star. To the northeast, Second Avenue ends, but really turns into a grass park. There are nice townhomes all around here. Close by is the Wing Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.
8.
Cornerstar Way. Ok, I am really lowering my standards here a little. This is part of a strip shopping center near Arapahoe Road and Parker Road. It is about 10 stores on either side of a street. And there is a Target nearby. And a soccer field.
9.
Montview Boulevard. Between Chester & Dayton. This is not a new urbanist retail center, but it is an old style retail strip with kind of a 1950's feel to it. The area is a little run down, with bars and liquor stores, but it is gentrifying a little, being right next to Stapleton. Montview is 4 lanes here but it is not a major arterial. There are a couple of nice parks here, and Westerly Creek.
10.
Main Street in Parker. This isn't new urbanist, it's old small town-urbanist. There is a nice town park, O'Brien Park. This is the look we are aiming for.
