Golden's Arapahoe Steps Project Breaks Ground

GOLDEN, CO – Work has begun on the Arapahoe Steps project in Golden that will transform a steep hill next to a local church into a public plaza.

The Arapahoe Steps at Celebration Plaza will transform vacant land owned by the 150-year-old Calvary Episcopal Church between 13th and 14th Streets along Arapahoe Street into a terraced gathering space conceived as an "outdoor, community-centric living room" by Denver-based urban design and landscape architecture firm Civitas, according to a press release.

The land consists of a steep hillside adjacent to the Colorado School of Mines campus.

"What do you do with an inaccessible street that is too steep to function as a gathering space?” asked the church leadership who had long considered closing the street to build a new sanctuary, a statement from Civitas said.

Project Lead Craig Vickers, principal of Civitas and Golden resident, said the company was inspired by "public spaces [such] as Rome’s Spanish Steps and Barcelona’s Parc Güell."

The idea is to provide "lively, lushly landscaped public space that will accommodate festivals, art and farmers markets, chili cook-offs and community celebrations while providing additional connectivity and parking for the busy city center," Vickers said. The steps will also have ADA-accessible ramps.

“We realized the church wanted a space to serve the community, build a stronger downtown and be a part of the energy and vibe of the growing city,” Vickers said in a press release.

Included in the Arapahoe Steps plan is a new public parking garage with an upper deck that can transform into event space, accommodating up to 80 10-by-10-foot tents.

Image via City of Golden Plan Commission.

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