The reopening of Denver's Union Station last weekend provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of rail, with its hub at Union Station, in establishing Denver, as well as the city's multi-modal future, again with its hub as Union Station.
Pat Mack writes a post to supplement a radio interview with University of Colorado Denver history professor Tom Noel, who claims that Union Station is "arguably the most important building in the city."
Noel tells the story of the time when the Transcontinental Railroad chose a route that went through Cheyenne, Wyoming, which caused half of Denver's population to leave Denver. "But civic leaders in Denver, including former territorial Gov. John Evans and Rocky Mountain News founder William N. Byers….raised the money to build the Denver Pacific Railway which connected Denver to Cheyenne in 1870. That prompted other rail lines to be built from the Transcontinental Railroad to Denver as well."
Denver's early connection to the outside world also drove development in the city, as explained by Mack: "The layout of Denver revolves around the station. With 17th Street running to the station, the road became Denver's main street. That is still seen today by the warehouse buildings, office towers and hotels that line the road."
The radio conversation between Mack and Noel also includes some more details about the history of Denver and the importance of the Union Station makeover to the city.
Read the full story: Professor: Union Station most important building in Denver
Denver's Historic Union Station Gets Grand Opening Today
Called one of the most complex public works projects in Denver's history, Denver's new Union Station will lie at the center of a rapidly growing rail and transit network.
Analysis: Denver's 20-Year Vision for Not-Quite-Complete Streets
The Denveright plan puts pedestrians first, but could do more for public transportation and bikes, says a critique from Streetsblog Denver.
Denver's New Commuter Rail Line to Airport to Open in April
You will be forgiven for thinking you are looking at an East Coast commuter rail line: It's electrified with level boarding, mostly 15-minute headways, with bike and luggage racks, operating 22 hours a day from Denver's Union Station to the airport.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello