The Denver Union Station Master Plan serves as the blueprint for redeveloping and preserving Denver's historic Union Station and 19.85 acres of surrounding land. Union Station will be transformed into a transportation hub - serving the needs of residents, tourists and commuters.

Development of a vision for Denver Union Station was made possible by a unique partnership among four entities: the City and County of Denver (Denver), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD). The private partners who assisted in developing the Vision Plan are collectively known as the Union Station Alliance. Because the scope of this project is so complex, a very specialized team was required. The Alliance is comprised of experts in real estate, architecture, design, land use, engineering, environmental, transportation systems, development, and public involvement. Alliance team members bring a unique combination of local, national, and international experience to this project.

Providing a variety of transportation options was critical in the development of the Denver Union Station Master Plan. Therefore, it was necessary to evaluate both the uses of the Denver Union Station building and its immediate surroundings, and the areas within which transportation impacts may result.

But, translating vision into reality cannot take place until some very specific steps are taken, including preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. In addition to the Master Plan, a rezoning application to Denver’s Transit Mixed-Use zone district (T-MU-30) was prepared and adopted and the station was designated as a Denver Landmark.


» View Landmark Designation Boundary Diagram

Spanning two years, the Master Plan process invited the public to share ideas through town meetings, mailings, a web site and other public outreach efforts. Public participation included the work of a 60-member Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the 99-member Union Station Advisory Committee (USAC) representing the interests of 36 stakeholder groups. This public process produced more than 40 alternative scenarios and a series of goals and principles to guide redevelopment at the site.

After extensive public involvement, and agreement on what is known as the Vision Plan, the Master Plan was endorsed by the USAC and then underwent an approval process by each of the four agencies. CDOT approved the DUS Master Plan on September 16, 2004; the DRCOG Board of Directors approved the plan on September 22, 2005, followed by approval by the RTD Board of Directors on September 28th. Denver approved the Master Plan, rezoning of the site and designation of the station as a Denver Landmark on October 4, 2004.