A neighborhood could soon sprout from often vacant surface lots south of the Denver Broncos’ stadium under a newly adopted plan.

The Denver City Council approved the Stadium District Master Plan on Monday night, a roadmap for the development of a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use neighborhood in the city’s Sun Valley neighborhood.  

Peering to the East at what Coors Field did for nearby downtown neighborhoods, city planning officials imagine a community buoyed by the stadium, two adjacent light rail stations and the nearby confluence of the South Platte River and Lakewood Gulch.

The Denver City Council voted to adopt the Stadium District Master Plan, which is aimed at creating a mixed-use development in the Broncos Stadium parking lot. So what’s next?

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The idea is “to transform these existing surface parking lots used primarily on game day [and] special events into a neighborhood hub that feels like a local main street, linked to a regional destination,” Jason Whitlock, a principal city planner with the city’s Community Planning and Development Department, said during the council meeting Monday.

The development would make use of parking lots south of Broncos Stadium at Mile High, which are largely left vacant outside of the handful of home games and special events.

New housing structures, businesses, walking and biking trails, and entertainment options would find a new home in the neighborhood.

Per the master plan, city officials would incentivize and promote, through zoning tools, the inclusion of affordable housing in the community. Heights of new structures in the area would range from a base height of five stories to 20 stories. In special locations, 30-story buildings would be allowed. 

The document also calls for new parks, open spaces, and pedestrian-friendly areas, especially along the South Platte River and Lakewood Gulch; a new network of streets and roads; and new bicycle and pedestrian paths.

Reminiscing about the benefits to the neighborhoods surrounding Colorado Rockies’ ballpark, Councilman Paul López said the realization of the Stadium District Master Plan could bring opportunity to Sun Valley.

“An economic engine that can help generate jobs, opportunity, housing and the community benefits that go along with it,” said López, who is leaving the council soon after having been elected city clerk and recorder.

The district master plan guides growth in the area over the course of 20 years. Furthermore, no agreements have been made with a developer. 

More than 1,300 residents, businesses, and property owners from Jefferson Park, West Colfax, Sun Valley, and surrounding neighborhoods participated in the year-long planning process, involving public meetings, community events, and surveys. 

The parking lots north of the stadium are expected to remain untouched for those looking for game-day parking.

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