Name and Setting
Golden Triangle is the commonly used name for Denver’s Civic Center neighborhood, especially following redevelopment that began in the 1990s. The official Civic Center neighborhood is designated by the City of Denver for planning and city services.
Its official borders are Colfax Avenue to the north, Speer Boulevard to the west and south, and Broadway to the east. The northern portion overlaps with the Denver Civic Center, an area of parks and civic buildings.
Neighborhood Boundaries
The official neighborhood includes Civic Center Park and some nearby government and cultural institutions. It does not include Lincoln Park, the Colorado State Capitol building at the east end of the Civic Center area, or the few Civic Center buildings north of Colfax Avenue.
The Golden Triangle Creative District defines a slightly larger area, extending east to Lincoln Street. This version includes Lincoln Park and spans 45 city blocks, according to the neighborhood organization.
Creative District
The Golden Triangle Creative District is made up of residents and property owners and is an officially recognized Registered Neighborhood Organization. It was formerly called the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association, and the creative district became official in 2016.
The district notes 16 or more galleries and museums, along with dozens of restaurants and stores. It began an effort in 2018 to become a business improvement district, which would have the ability to assess taxes and improve public infrastructure.
Streets and Connections
Bannock Street is the main arterial through the Golden Triangle. East-west routes include 13th, 14th, and 8th avenues, while Lincoln or Broadway, Colfax, and Speer serve as important transportation corridors along the neighborhood edges.
History and Development
Civic Center, or Golden Triangle, is among Denver’s oldest neighborhoods. Many single-family Victorian homes and bungalows were built there in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Between 1904 and 1919, Denver Mayor Robert Speer carried out a plan for the downtown Civic Center area along the neighborhood’s northern edge, adding civic institutions and a neoclassical park. The plan also created Speer Boulevard along Cherry Creek, forming the western and southern border of the larger neighborhood.
Museums and Civic Places
Within the Golden Triangle are Civic Center Park, City and County of Denver offices, the Colorado State Capitol, the History Colorado Center, the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Mint Museum, the Clyfford Still Museum, the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, and the Denver Central Library.
Since the 1990s, new condominium and loft projects have appeared, and former supply stores and garages have been converted into restaurants, art galleries, and small offices. More recent additions have included the Clyfford Still Museum, the History Colorado Center, the Colorado State Judiciary building, and the Kirkland Museum’s Golden Triangle location.
What it is like
Golden Triangle Creative District is a 45-block area in Denver’s historic Civic Center area, formed by three primary arterial streets.
Sources: Civic Center, Denver (neighborhood) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA); goldentriangleofdenver.com