Shoemaker Plaza at Confluence Park
Shoemaker Plaza at Confluence Park stands in the heart of the city and at the very birthplace of Denver. The grand re-opening was finally realized in October of 2017. Neither record high water nor the unexpected discovery of environmental contaminants could stop this project, which re-invented the historic Shoemaker Plaza for the 21st Century with improved bike and pedestrian flow, better access to the river and a series of vibrant new gathering spaces along the South Platte.
Two months into construction, the team found coal tar, a byproduct of historic industrial activity, during routine excavation along the river bed. The project was on hold for 16 months while the team addressed the design, permitting and financial challenges that coal tar presented. Undaunted by these obstacles, the City, MHFD, Wenk and ECI came together and developed a strategy to keep the project moving, and on a beautiful October morning, the ribbon was cut on the renovated Plaza with hundreds of supporters cheering from the new concrete terraces.
