Colorado city reimagining what 800 acres of land along I-25 corridor will look like

The city of Centennial is reimagining what 800 acres of land along the interstate 25 corridor will look like decades from now. The area the Colorado city is focusing on is called Midtown Centennial near the Dry Creek light rail station and Ikea. The city's long-range vision is turning the area from aging office buildings and commercial spaces into a vibrant, diverse mixed-use district.

"One of the coolest things that we get to do as planners within the city is imagine what's going to be here after we're not here," said David King, the city's senior planner. "So that's what really excites me."

King said Midtown Centennial currently has many decades-old office spaces, with a lot now sitting vacant. There are also some commercial developments and a lot of unused land.

"For most of its life, it's been an office park where we have a lot of businesses and not a lot else happening, not a lot of parking space, not a lot of other activity outside of those really nine to five hours," King said. "In recent years, there have been different types of activity coming into the area."

With the shift in working environments and market trends, a new opportunity comes to make the area a more walkable, mixed-use district and downtown area. The vision includes expanding housing, bringing in more businesses and adding parks. It also includes making the area more pedestrian and cyclist friendly.

"Not many places get to think about what their downtown can look like," King said. "We think that, through the creation of this more mixed-use environment where we have more residential, and we have a thriving office space that's still here, we can create a unique place that really becomes a destination for retailers and for other uses."

Housing options could include more condos, townhomes, multi-family homes and senior housing.

King added Centennial doesn't have a true downtown, so this is a unique opportunity for the city. It's taking a proactive approach and understanding what the future looks like.

"It's a place where people can live, work and play, all within the same environment, and it really becomes the heart of the city. It becomes the heart of Centennial," said King.

Peter Smith recently moved to the area and walks through the neighborhood daily. His walks are mostly near some office buildings, apartments and empty lots, which will one day look much different with the city's long-term vision.

"I think the city of Centennial, in my opinion, is kind of an up-and-coming community," Smith said. "I think some great things because of this lot directly behind me, I'm almost positive, is soon to be developed."

Midtown Centennial includes the area around South Yosemite Street to South Havana Street (west to east) and East Arapahoe Road to East County Line Road (north to south).

The community can also provide feedback on what they'd like to see by visiting the Midtown Centennial website and sharing their thought on an interactive mapping tool. So far, people are saying they want more bike lanes, more parks and more housing. 

"I see it happening," Smith said. "When they're thinking about mixed-use areas, I'm all in favor of that."