OUR FUTURE
OUR FUTURE
CENTENNIAL: A FUTURE-FORWARD CITY Centennial NEXT This comprehensive, long-range strategic plan for the City will continue to define the vision for Centennial through 2040 and well into the future. Based on feedback from residents, Centennial NEXT is a vision and roadmap for preserving Centennial’s unique character and intentionally guiding future progress as the City continues to grow. This broad plan guides policies concerning community aesthetics, economic development, housing, land use, regional cooperation, transportation, utilities and services, and parks, trails and open space.
Transportation Planning Transportation and mobility continue to be a key focus area for the City to enable residents to easily and safely transverse across and through Centennial. To adapt to changing transportation needs and priorities, City leaders and planners are continually looking ahead to future planning, design and funding of capital, operational and policy investments. The City is currently updating its Transportation Master Plan to develop a vision for a transportation and mobility system that captures the voice of the current community, in addition to inspiring direction for Centennial’s future population for the next 20 years.
Community Planning and Development Neighborhoods form the foundation of our City, and Centennial intends to stay resilient and sustainable over time by ensuring that residential offerings include various housing types, ranging from small, singlefamily detached lots to large-scale, multifamily developments. The City is embarking on extensive planning to ensure that housing diversity and neighborhoods are both desirable and attainable for all. The City is equally focused on preserving the current spirit of Centennial’s communities. Centennial has awarded grant funding to support large-scale neighborhood improvement projects as well as neighborhood gatherings. Additionally, the City funds a Lifelong Homes program that seeks to provide tools to help residents live in and enjoy their homes at any stage of life.
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Parks, Trails and Open Spaces Guided by the 2017 Trails and Recreation Plan, Centennial continues to focus on further beautifying and developing the recreational amenities and preserving our existing features through partnerships with Centennial’s recreation districts. The centerpiece of Centennial and a premier Denver Metro destination, Centennial Center Park, is in the process of undergoing additional upgrades. Centennial Link Trail is fast becoming a beloved trail that threads 16 miles horizontally across the City. The trail is currently enjoyed on the western section of the City and will continue being expanded east. Additionally, the Lone Tree Creek Trail is in the midst of enhancements to continue developing this multi-use, nonmotorized connection between East Broncos Parkway and Cherry Creek State Park.
Always a future-forward City, Centennial has multiple projects on the horizon to best serve residents and businesses today and for generations to come.
Economic Development The City’s economic development vision is to support an economy that serves as a model of strength, diversity and resilience for the region and beyond to establish Centennial as a desirable destination to live, stay and enjoy. City leaders and staff are dedicated to preserving, growing and attracting employers by providing exceptional services, infrastructure and real estate. One exciting development project that will become a focal point for the City is The District-Centennial, a 42-acre, next-gen employment and mixed-use center west of I-25 between IKEA and the Dry Creek light rail station. This mixed-use project will feature 2.5 million square feet of office space, 1,800 residential units, retail and hotel space, as well as walkable blocks and dynamic public gathering spaces. Development is underway and it will be exciting to see The DistrictCentennial come to life! Spark Centennial is an accelerator program designed to help the City’s small businesses adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing consumer environment. Business and creative professionals guide our smallbusiness participants to consider the intersection of their products and services with the increasingly important consumer experience. Spark is an opportunity to create a greater sense of community by encouraging vibrant retail centers with vibrant experiences that bring people together. Beyond Spark Centennial, the City is focused on developing built environment strategies for the City’s retail centers in response to consumer and industry trends that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated.
Connectedness and Sustainability As an innovative and smart suburban city, Centennial embraces emerging technologies to connect the community and become a model for others. The City uses its built infrastructure, including fiber, to enhance Smart Cities initiatives. For instance, in 2018, the City completed installing a 432-strand fiber backbone connecting key sites around the City to enable both existing and future broadband providers. The City offers a publicly-owned dark fiber network that connects homes and businesses to that backbone. The City has also implemented Intelligent Transportation System technologies, such as intersection cameras and roadway sensors, to improve traffic flow along our corridors. The City has several initiatives underway to improve and promote energy efficiency, education and cost savings. In partnership with Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy program, Centennial offers tools to residents and businesses that drive energy savings. Also, the City currently offers electric vehicle charging stations at the Centennial Civic Center and Centennial Public Works Facility. In fact, Centennial has established an Electric Vehicle Action plan that demonstrates a community-wide commitment to electrifying transportation across Centennial. Under this plan, the City has set a goal to increase the number of electric vehicles in Centennial ZIP codes to support statewide goals.
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