Daniel S.
Yelp
In the summer we stayed in the Homewood Suites across 15th street from the Denver Pavilions (abbreviated DP from here on) for a week. We'd spend sufficient time in the DP. Here we'd have dinner in the 5280 Burger Bar, Grimalidi's, see a movie in the UA Theater, and casually walk around. It was the large "Denver" in DP that shouted out "Welcome to Denver."
In the heart of downtown, Denver DP is a two-city open-air mall bordered by Tremont Place to the south, the 16th Street Mall to the east, Welton Street to the north, and 15th Street to the west. In the center, Glenarm Place carries east-west downtown traffic.
Opened in 1998, DP is an open-air mall that compliments the older downtown core. It reminds me of Las Olas Riverfront in Fort Lauderdale and Horton Plaza in San Diego. There are approximately 40 shops businesses on three levels. The primary means of reaching the 3 levels is by escalator. Here is a sample of the businesses:
Level 1: H&M, 5280 Burger Bar, Corner Bakery, It's Sugar, Grimalidi's, and Maggiano's Little Italy.
Level 2: Gap, GNC, I Heart Denver, and Banana Republic.
Level 3: Coyote Ugly, Forever 21, Lucky Strike Lanes, and UA Theaters.
It is relatively easy to arrive in DP from downtown. The free 16th Street Mall shuttle includes a few stops. This provides a connection to the light rail lines that connect Union Station to the suburbs. Beneath DP is an underground parking garage. Without validation it costs between $4 and $18 to park here. It is easily accessible to Uber and Lyft. After the Denver Zoo, our Lyft driver dropped us off at Glenarm Place in front of Grimalidi's.
When reviewing malls, I think it is critical to take into consideration "retailtainment." What "retailtainment" is is retail marketing as entertainment. It is the marriage of shopping and entertainment to draw customers. At DP, the primary retailtainment spot is "The Great Wall." This is the name for the giant D-E-N-V-E-R marque. It is a very popular, and if not the most popular photo spot in Denver. Up on the third floor I did the obligatory D-E-N-V-E-R photo. The secondary retailtainment is the Downtown ambience. The third floor is likewise a prime location to photograph the historic Paramount.
The DP contingency to the 16th Street Mall creates a richer shoppertainment experience. DP is truly a horseshoe extension of the 16th Street Mall. DP to the 16th Street Mall is what the half beltway is to a primary Interstate. The 16th Street Mall compliments DP with several businesses. This includes 4 Starbucks, Cheesecake Factory, McDonald's, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Paramount, souvenir shops, and so on. It further compliments DP with a free bus between The Capital and Union Station.
From my visits, this paragraph shares the pros/wins. It is very convenient to the 15th Street hotels creating a gateway into downtown. It is immaculately clean. As far as graffiti I saw zilch. This added to the perception of safety. I appreciate that the underground parking garage conserves downtown land. When it came to dinner, we had a few nice meals in its restaurants. When it came to entertainment we saw a movie in its UA Theater. The D-E-N-V-E-R sign is a tourist win. The biggest win is its connection to the 16th Street Mall and downtown.
As far as cons/losses in my opinion loosing B&N is the biggest loss. Many of the businesses are identical to any mall USA. If I was arriving by car, DP would be a long distance from I-25.
My five visits to DP leads me to the impression that it is a perfect example of the sum being better than the parts. As a part of the Downtown landscape it provides a unique mall to spend time. However, if DP was isolated from downtown or a major attraction, it would be an ordinary mall to spend time.