16th Street Drinking Zones Mostly Unknown, But Foot Traffic Is Up

When walking down 16th Street onto Glenarm Plaza, one might not realize there are now designated drinking zones in the area, if not for the occasional poster and banner. That’s because although new consumption zones were adopted in early June, citizens have been slow to participate, with many stating that they were unaware of these changes.

The rollout of the consumption zones by the city is part of its continued effort to boost foot traffic along the newly renovated area. “Glenarm Plaza is a one-of-a-kind public space for Denverites to enjoy in the heart of downtown,” said Downtown Denver Partnership in a written email response.  “It is a space that invites people to linger and enjoy an outdoor space while enjoying an alcoholic beverage purchased from a local participating business.”

Despite this effort, civilians holding open alcoholic containers in the area are minimal, and most Denverites are not aware of the new policy when asked about the drinking zones. 

“What is that?” said one citizen walking down 16th Street. “I don’t know anything about that.”

However, there is more foot traffic in the area, according to data collected by the DDP, with a 23.7 percent increase in daily activity along 16th Street and 41,000 more visits in June 2025 compared to June of last year. Foot traffic is also up along Glenarm Plaza in 2025.

“We don’t necessarily have the data that provides the effectiveness of the City Established Consumption Area,” DDP said. “We do have foot traffic data related to Glenarm Plaza visits. Glenarm Plaza’s average daily activity increased by 1.4 percent, which is an increase of 30 more visits per day and 950 more visits in June 2025 vs. June 2024.”

Henry’s Tavern manager Brian Rychee, who is one of the restaurants participating in the summer rollout for the drinking zones, acknowledged the improvement along the street and Glenarm Plaza compared to before the renovation and rebranding.

“There’s a much better vibe with more people, more foot traffic, which brings more business, and that’s great,” Rychee said. “I think people feel a lot safer now down here.”

The designated consumption zones are the most recent step the city has taken to bring people to 16th Street. Previously, city workers added new pavement to the walking area, new trees and displays of public art right before the Summer Kickoff event last Memorial Day that celebrated the rebranded 16th Street. 

Safety is also a top priority for the Downtown Denver Partnership. The city has expanded its downtown security team through the private security company Allied Universal and collaborated with the Denver Police Department (DPD) to increase services within the consumption zones. 

Today, there are 10 extra downtown police unit foot patrols each day along the street and a DPD horse patrol. In addition, there is a DPD kiosk located on 16th Street and Arapahoe Street that serves as a hub for officers when visitors have questions. A downtown mental health and substance use support team, a Denver Fire Department medical unit, three additional Park Ranger shifts and Denver Health bicycle paramedics have also been called upon by DDP to patrol the area in case of any incidents. 

Although the city has made a concerted effort to address the public’s safety concerns along 16th Street, the same attention to detail has not been applied to aspects of the rollout of the outdoor drinking zones. Henry’s Tavern and other restaurants participating in the summer rollout have yet to receive their sealed to-go cups for customers to use in the designated drinking zones.

A manager of one of the restaurants on 16th Street, who requested to stay anonymous, said that since the restaurant has not been given its to-go cups yet, they’ve been putting a green sticker on their solo cups so customers who choose to leave with an open container can identify that they purchased the alcoholic beverage from the restaurant. The manager said it’s “hard to tell” if the drinking zones have been successful or not for the restaurant, and thinks the city needs to market the new rollout more.

“Marketing, branding and signage all along, I don’t really see too much besides our small sign,” the anonymous manager said. “We would have to invest money to put signs out there for the to-go cups and everything like that. And, of course, we will eventually, but as of right now, it’s in the early stages.”

Henry’s Tavern thinks even more people will come to 16th Street once businesses receive their to-go cups. “As soon as we get our cups and everything and we start serving drinks, I’ll definitely be paying more attention to it, to see how people are enjoying it,” Rychee said. “We’re getting them (to-go cups) any day now.” 

Until then, Denver residents continue to shop at stores, eat at restaurants and enjoy live performers on the newly renovated 16th Street.  

“Success on 16th Street looks a lot like the success we saw with the 16th Street Summer Kickoff,” DDP said. “Patios at our beloved restaurants filled with people, families walking up and down the street, buskers and artists performing in our street corners and dedicated stage areas. We also hope to see new businesses opening along 16th Street.”