City launches Pearl Street Refresh: short-term pop-ups, existing-conditions study and long-term concept planning

Parks and recreation staff introduced the Pearl Street Refresh project to PRAB, describing an approach that pairs short-term maintenance and pop-up experiments with a technical existing-conditions assessment and a concept-design phase for long-term improvements.

Project scope covers the pedestrian mall (known locally as ‘the Bricks’) between 11th and 15th Streets. Staff said short-term tasks include cleaning, painting, planters refresh and safety improvements ahead of the fiftieth-anniversary programming; temporary pop-up installations would test ideas for seating, play and activation. A consultant-led infrastructure assessment has been hired to document underground utilities and aging systems and to estimate costs and phasing for longer-term work. Staff emphasized that there is currently no funding for a second-phase capital program and that phase 2 would require fundraising and further Council approvals.

The Downtown Boulder Partnership will lead programming and act as liaison to merchants. Staff described coordination with utility providers (Excel) and broadband/fiber work so upgrades can be integrated with the streetscape project. Board members asked about pop-up examples and timing; staff cited movable furnishings, play areas, and the Wildwoods pilot as precedents and said pop-ups would inform concept design and public engagement.

Staff framed Pearl Street as an “upstream investment” for the city because downtown sales tax supports operations and the broader fiscal health of local services. PRAB members asked about engagement timelines, coordination with Sundance events and how the city would communicate FAQs and updates; staff said the engagement schedule will include two public windows that feed into concept design and that Downtown Boulder Partnership will coordinate programming and events.

Next steps: staff will carry out the existing-conditions assessment, pilot pop-ups tied to engagement, and bring a concept design back to PRAB for feedback. Any funding for major long-term improvements would be determined later through capital planning and potential fundraising.