city buildings and pond landscape

​Thornton Urban Center Study

Thornton Urban Center Study Cover

The focus of the Thornton Urban Center Study is to rejuvenate Thornton's original commercial core. The plan covers an area generally between I-25 and Washington Street south of Thornton Parkway, and provides guidance to help it develop in a way that is more sustainable, provide a framework for a greater mix of uses, and help integrate alternative forms of transportation. The objective is to make this area a special place where people from all around Thornton and the surrounding area will enjoy gathering and spending time. The study also produces a list of key catalyst actions that, if implemented, will help rejuvenate the area.

Five specific nodes within the area are determined to have the greatest capacity for enhancing urban center qualities. Each node was examined in terms of existing conditions, access, zoning, proximity to public transit, topography, and other pertinent factors. The Thornton Urban Center Study provides detailed description and analysis of each node.

The Thornton Urban Center Study was adopted by resolution of City Council on August 27th, 2013.

About Urban Centers

The project was guided in part by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Metro Vision 2035 Plan which describes the essential elements of an urban center. DRCOG’s vision for urban centers throughout the Denver area is as follows:

The Denver Metro region will become an international model for healthy, livable communities by developing vibrant urban centers connected by a robust multi-modal network throughout the metro area. While each urban center will be unique, all urban centers will:

  • Be active, pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly places that are more dense and mixed in use than surrounding areas;
  • Allow people of all ages, incomes, and abilities to access a range of housing, employment, and service opportunities without sole reliance on having to drive;
  • Promote regional sustainability by reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption; and
  • Respect and support existing neighborhoods