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An early commuter bikes along Arkins Promenade past the park's grand elevated walkway, play area, and custom-designed picnic tables.

Early morning sunlight casts yellow light on the grand elevated walkway that zigzags through Arkins Promenade and provides views of the adjacent South Platte River below.

Kids play on custom-designed swings that reflect the raw industrial character of the neighborhood hang from the elevated walkway, while park visitors walk their dog above.

Water quality areas of native grasses are integrated within the park spaces of the promenade and underneath the elevated walkway and reflect the natural qualities of the adjacent river.

Picnic areas, planting, and art sculptures are cut into remnants of the existing road along Arkins Promenade.

People enjoy themselves along Arkins Promenade and up on the elevated walkway which provides a lively, unique space for community gathering with art sculptures, and places food trucks and tents along the river.

A view from the elevated walkway during a community event highlights on the left the many spaces people can gather along the linear park - i.e picnic tables, under tents, and on benches surrounded by plantings - and on the right, the South Platte River.

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Arkins (RiNo) Promenade

Denver, CO

Repurposing a local street into a vibrant, riverfront, pedestrian promenade.

The Arkins (RiNo) Promenade project repurposes an existing local street within an aging industrial neighborhood that is rapidly transforming into a vital mixed-use arts district at the edge of downtown Denver. Wenk Associates developed conceptual planning and design development documents to transform the site into a mile-long, river edge, pedestrian corridor. Phase one design and construction was completed in July 2020.

The Arkins (RiNo) Promenade is linear park linking a series of outdoor rooms with amenities that include walking and bicycle access, river theater, gathering and play areas, an elevated walkway along the river, public art, and overlooks with seating areas. The promenade also provides outdoor spaces with landscaping, shade trees, native grass areas, and planters to filter stormwater management that improves the water quality in the South Platte River.

Innovative approaches to treat stormwater within the right-of-way are incorporated into the park with curbless streets adjoining landscape-based (shallow vegetated swales) water quality areas. Custom elements, including a majestic 400-ft steel-based gangway (designed by Tres Birds), and a playground and site elements made of recycled/reused materials create a unique identity along the river for the RiNo community and for the city of Denver as a whole.

Project Team:
Wenk Associates – Lead Consultants
Tres Birds – Architects
EES – Civil Engineers
RockSol – Geotechnical Engineers
Merrick & Company – Survey
Clanton Associates – Lighting Design
HydroSystems*KDI – Irrigation
ECI Site Construction Management, Inc. – Contractors

Client

City and County of Denver, Parks and Recreation

Completion year

2022

Awards

2023, ASLA Colorado/Wyoming, Merit Award for Design

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