Nearly three years of a global pandemic have done a number on downtown Denver — high vacancy rates, shuttering businesses, low foot traffic, and crime and safety concerns abound. It’s clear every mayoral candidate is going to need a plan to bring life back to our economic center, but the question is how? When Federico Peña was elected mayor in 1983, he faced a very similar set of challenges downtown. But he turned it around with his campaign to “Imagine a Great City,” leading to a period of sustained growth and prosperity. So as we gear up for the mayoral election on April 4, producer Paul Karolyi spoke with Peña about how he did it and what he’s hoping to hear from candidates today.
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