The Riverfront Park Denver Neighborhood has seen a lot of changes over the past couple months. Some might think that everything has not changed for the better. There have been some new neighbors that have come and some that have left. The park has become a lot more active, and a lot more people have been hitting the gym. Let’s take a look at what’s happening in Riverfront Park Denver.
Restaurants Closing and what’s Coming
Little Raven Bistro has been closed for a couple of months now. People have been wondering what would take its place. We have heard that the new space will be home to a Poke restaurant. We do not know what the name of it will be, but it is sure to be delicious!
After an extensive remodel of the Richard Sandoval restaurants, Zengo and La Guera closed its doors. Many folks in the Riverfront Park neighborhood seemed displeased with the renovation. Neighbors mentioned concerns about items taken off the menu and then new space not feeling very inviting. A new restaurant is coming soon and will be run by the folks behind the Way Back restaurant called Wayward. Dinner and Brunch will be in the Zengo space and the Al Lado/La Biblioteca/La Guera space will be a grab and go breakfast spot that also serves coffee.
The biggest shock on this list was the closing of McLoughlin’s. No one in the neighborhood I spoke to saw it coming. One day you’re headed to happy hour to enjoy 2 for 1 drinks, and the next day the windows were blacked out and no one was home. There were people sitting on the benches with tears in their eyes. The owner, who also owns the Irish Snug, hopefully will make sure his people are taken care of. We’ll miss you Tommy. We have not heard what is going into the space beneath the Promenade Lofts, but we hope it will provide the neighbors with the same feelings of warmth and welcome that McLoughlin’s did.
The Neighborhood Gym is getting Better
The Riverfront Athletic Club in the Glass House has made some significant improvements over the past couple months. They have brought in state of the art treadmills and cardio equipment as well as added some more classes. If you haven’t gotten a chance to work with Lou Martinez, the Riverfront Park neighbors are raving about him! When you’re done with your workout, you can enjoy the services at the VFranca Spa and become rejuvenated and refreshed. The spa is located within the RAC inside the Glass House in Denver. You can check out the workout classes here.
Swallow Hill Music Series in Commons Park
One of the most exciting things to happen to Riverfront Park on this list is the activation of Commons Park. Every month this summer, Commons Park will host the Swallow Hill Music Series starting at 6:00pm on June 4th, July 9th, August 6th and September 3rd. This has activated the park, which has kept vagrants and criminal activity at bay. Residents and visitors now enjoy the park and Denver summers while listening to amazing live music. You can learn more about the city’s Outdoor Downtown initiative here.
Parking is getting Tough
With the construction of AMLI Riverfront Green, a good amount of street parking is used by the developers. This makes it pretty tough for residents to have guests or vendors over to their homes. While Riverfront Park is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city, overnight parking has been tough the past couple of months. On the positive side, the neighborhood installed pedestrian crosswalks with signage. Crossing the street is a much easier process than it was in the past.
Change can be Good
While I am sad to see some of the changes like the restaurant closings, I am excited about what is to come. As Riverfront Park in Denver neighborhood continues to grow and the amount of pedestrian traffic increases between LoDo and LoHi, it will be important to have some great options for people to eat and drink, walk and park. It’s great to see the city of Denver and Riverfront Park Association working together to keep our neighborhood an amazing place. The neighborhood will continue to be a great place to bring your friends and family, enjoy each other’s company and to live in the heart of Denver.
