Dennis Huspeni
Reporter- Denver Business Journal
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How many times have you heard: “There’s no place to park in Cherry Creek.”
While there’s no doubt construction and street-improvement projects there since the start of the year have removed some of the estimated 555 on-street parking spots in Cherry Creek North, research by the Denver Business Journal shows there are 8,311 parking spots in and around the district.
True, much of that comes from private parking garages that can be more expensive than on-street parking, but the majority of those — 5,000 — come from the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
By way of comparison, Park Meadows mall in Lone Tree has 6,000 parking spaces.
“There are a host of reasons why the perception [about lack of parking] exists,” said Nick LeMasters, general manager of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. “But there is ample parking over there.”
LeMasters said Cherry Creek North visitors “are more than welcome to park in our garage.”
“We believe that shoppers who visit the Cherry Creek neighborhood are often our customers as well,” LeMasters said. “We’re not real excited when [Cherry Creek North] employees use our spaces, because employee vehicles stay there all day. We’ll aggressively enforce our rights in that area, but shoppers are welcome to come.”
Julie Underdahl, president of the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District (BID), said if visitors just used the parking garages more, there’s always plenty of parking.
“Obviously there’s been a loss of on-street parking,” Underdahl said. “But the city did a study recently and even at peak times within the district the parking garages are only half full. ... The BID is working with parking garage operators and the city to see what can be done to increase” parking garage use.
That might include more, or better, signs directing motorists to those parking garages.
The implementation of the “smart meters” by the City of Denver, replacing the parking kiosks, has improved the parking situation, Underdahl said.
Most of the problem comes from shoppers who expect to park right in front of the business they’re patronizing. But that’s becoming harder as more businesses open there and with the advent of at least seven major developments under construction, in addition to the City of Denver’s stormwater drain replacement project on University Boulevard and Josephine Street and street improvements.
“I doubt if it’s going to get better before it gets worse,” said Denver City Councilwoman Jeanne Robb, whose district includes Cherry Creek. “But we’re taking a lot of steps to keep it from being worse.”
Those steps include requiring developers to provide adequate parking for the new residents and workers that will join the district once those apartment, condo and new office developments are complete.
“There will be a critical mass of residents who won’t have to get into their cars to go to restaurants or shopping,” Robb said.
Talks also continue — as they have for years — between the BID, Cherry Creek Shopping Center and the Regional Transportation District for some kind of shuttle or circular between downtown and Cherry Creek North.
“The new Cherry Creek Business Alliance is leading the conversation around this issue,” said LeMasters. “We need a long-term, strategic connection to both downtown and points to the south east. ... We just don’t want to put a Band-Aid on it, we want a long-term solution.”
Dennis Huspeni covers real estate and retail for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog. Phone: 303-803-9232.
