In 2021, a man wielding a machete walked into Sportsfan, a sports apparel store, on 16th Street. He didn’t attack anyone, but he did steal a hat and a jersey. On multiple occasions, groups of thieves smashed the store’s windows and swiped thousands of dollars of merchandise. Derek Friedman, who owns three shops on the mall (two Sportsfans and a Sock Em’ Sock Emporium), had seen enough. He implemented a one percent “Crime Spike Fee” on all transactions to subsidize his losses and sometimes worried that his businesses wouldn’t survive.

Friedman began to notice a decline in public safety downtown in 2019, when property crime in LoDo (aka the Union Station neighborhood) increased nearly 60 percent compared with the year before. Overall crime (including violent crime and drug-related offenses) continued to escalate during the pandemic, rising 33 percent from 2019 to 2022.

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That same year, the city launched a $175 million renovation of what was then called the 16th Street Mall. The project repaved deteriorating granite, added trees, and created wider sidewalks along the entirety of the 1.2-mile, pedestrian-only thoroughfare. The Downtown Denver Partnership built a 30-foot-tall play structure resembling a bird’s nest in an aspen tree between Glenarm Place and Tremont Place. Then-Mayor Michael Hancock said in a press release that the project would move Denver “from rescue to recovery.”

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Work on 10 of its 13 blocks has been completed, with the final three wrapping up this fall. To encourage people to check out the revamped road, the Denver City Council allocated $1.9 million to the partnership, which plans to open additional play areas, fund public art, and organize musical performances. “We’re using this to invite people back to 16th and remind them what they love about this space,” says Kate Barton, the DDP’s chief of external affairs. Already, the organization has agreed to pay selected buskers to perform along the drag during the summer.

But some worry that making 16th Street more entertaining doesn’t necessarily mean it will be safer. In January, a man stabbed four people along the street, killing two of them. Though the number of crimes reported in LoDo reached a five-year low in 2024, the attack further damaged the street’s reputation. In April, Mayor Mike Johnston announced the creation of a 10-person police unit to patrol the downtown core on bike, foot, and motorcycle. The DDP is using some of its City Council cash to hire five unarmed private security guards to assist law enforcement. And the city is set to open a police kiosk at Arapahoe Street where passersby can report safety concerns. “We could have all the art activations in the world,” Barton says, “but if it doesn’t feel safe, people won’t come.”

The city’s efforts seem to be working, at least in Friedman’s opinion: He finally got rid of his Crime Spike Fee in April. But while he’s excited about the potential revitalization of 16th Street (the city rebranded to drop the “mall” part of its moniker in May), he just hopes the focus on crime prevention is permanent. “It’s been five years since things went downhill,” Friedman says. “You can’t fix all of that in a few months. I hope that the city’s investment strategy is long term.”

Read More: The Future of Downtown Denver

3 Ways To Enjoy 16th Street This Summer

1. Skyline Beer Garden

The seasonal outdoor hangout at 16th and Arapahoe opened last month and offers live music, local art, and craft beer through September. Stop by every Saturday night for bites from rotating food trucks.

2. Daybreaker

Daybreaker hosts morning dance parties that skip the substances but keep the energy high with live DJ sets. Feel the vibes on August 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Union Station (starting at $29).

3. Upper DownTunes

This free music series from the DDP brings live performers to the intersection of 16th and Welton every weekday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.