April foot traffic was at 95% of 2019 levels, an increase from April 2025, according to the Downtown Denver Partnership’s latest High Frequency Report. 16th Street’s average daily activity increased by 13% in April 2026, representing 24,000 more total visits compared to April of last year.
Increased activity was also felt during major sporting events, including Inter Miami versus the Colorado Rapids on April 18, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High, featuring international star Lionel Messi. Downtown also benefited from some of the convention center’s largest events, including the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting and the APS Global Physics Summit. Together, these conventions brought nearly 25,000 researchers, dermatologists, industry experts and healthcare professionals to the convention center last month.
Looking back to March, despite not hosting major sporting events that month, Denver hotel occupancy increased year-over-year from 61% to 69%. RevPAR rose from $118 in March 2025 to $150 in March 2026. This strong performance was complemented by the recent completion of the Hyatt Regency Denver’s $70 million renovation, which introduced 1,100 reimagined rooms to downtown’s hospitality inventory.
The office market also saw a strong end to Q1, with nearly 83,000 square feet of net positive absorption and a 28.9% vacancy rate. Q2 2026 year-to-date has seen a slight increase in vacancy to 29.3% as of April, alongside 122,000 square feet of current leasing activity.
Several downtown buildings have completed renovations early this year. CBRE renovated its 40,000-square-foot downtown office, the Colorado Capitol Annex invested $54 million into its space, and 17th Street Plaza is undergoing a $6 million update to its lobby and outdoor plaza. Most recently, CU Denver was announced as under contract to purchase Independence Plaza, a move expected to bring new energy and connectivity to the current and future downtown workforce.
Downtown has welcomed 23 new businesses since the beginning of 2026. April saw Olive & Finch open in the Golden Triangle neighborhood. In Upper Downtown, Two Lazy Dogs opened off Champa Street. OGO Korean BBQ & Sushi Pronto is now operating in Union Station, and Pipsqueak Coffee Kiosk is open. Little Blue Pigeon opened in Larimer Square and Broken Bow off of Lawrence. On 16th Street, Mendicino Farms is now open!
