John Huggins, economic development director for the City of Denver, tells GlobeSt.com that the Main Street zoning will help revitalize East Colfax, currently a "hodge-podge" of developments, more than any other single factor. Often, he explains, the parking requirements are so stringent, owners of older buildings along the corridor can't develop their buildings into modern, mixed-use developments.
Instead, the corridor, which was made famous by novelist Jack Kerouac in On The Road, has a lot of fast-food restaurants and run down motels. In recent years, some developers have obtained zoning changes or PUDs to allow them to develop mixed-use communities. The Main Street zoning will be across the board, and will greatly simplify the current cumbersome and lengthy rules for the corridor. Many City Council members, such as Elbra Wedgeworth, see the Main Street zoning as a template for revitalizing other commercial corridors, such as West Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard.
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