Rio Grande District Vision & Implementation Plan

The Depot District is poised for a remarkable transformation into a dynamic live-work-play environment. This ambitious project aims to create not just a great urban district—with a distinct sense of place, diverse residential options, retail, and dining—but also an inclusive hub for education, workforce development, and innovation.

Spanning 40 acres of mostly vacant land, the project will introduce a dense, mixed-use neighborhood featuring locally owned restaurants, bars, and shops; world-class sports facilities; incubation, lab, and office spaces to an innovation community; housing for a growing population.

As a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), the neighborhood will offer pedestrian and bike connections to Central Station.

Placemaking and Public Spaces: The Core of the Vision

Phil Myrick brought his placemaking expertise to develop a network of unique public spaces that will bring the district to life, offering a platform for community interaction, culture, and creativity. Among these are:

• Festival Street: A curbless design with retractable bollards allows for seamless transformation into a venue for community events, enhanced by signature furnishings, lighting, and public art.
• Arts Alley: An open space for temporal art installations, cultural events, and performances, complemented by adjacent ground-floor maker spaces for emerging artists.
• Underpass Park: An innovative reimagining of the space under the 400 South viaduct, featuring active recreation amenities like a skate park or basketball courts.

This network of public spaces is designed to serve as an evolving canvas for the artists, cultural organizations, and nonprofits that already call the neighborhood home. By leveraging increased density to deliver meaningful community benefits, the Depot District will become a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable downtown destination for all.