View of 2200 Block of Oneida Street.

Oneida Park, the retail center located between 22nd and 23rd avenues on both sides of Oneida St., will get a $10 million facelift. The project will update the appearance of the block and create a family-friendly restaurant and retail center featuring a 7,000 square foot outdoor courtyard with a children’s play area. Currently in the permitting phase, construction is slated to begin in late summer 2017.

The center will restore its iconic Oneida Park sign with repairs enabling it to be lit at night. Todd Snyder and Rick Firmine, co-owners of the project, are collaborating with landscape architects from Dig Studio for design of the outdoor space and courtyard. The 1950’s mid-century modern aesthetic will be updated with a neutral color combination of off-white buildings, black roofing, and gray accents. Existing business signage will be replaced for a uniform look and new landscape elements will be added to enhance the appearance of the surrounding outdoor space and courtyard.

“We want the area to be easily accessible,” Snyder notes. With off-street parking available on the property and on-street parking along Oneida St., Snyder says they will also install plenty of bicycle racks to encourage residents to bike to the center when weather permits.

The courtyard, flanked on three sides by Ester’s Neighborhood Pub, a Little Man Ice Cream restaurant concept, and a yet-to-be-named coffee shop, will have seating for outdoor dining. “The goal is to have an area where patrons can enjoy a meal, coffee or dessert and their children can play just a few feet away and within sight and earshot,” says Snyder. Lighting will be updated and reconfigured to create a festive, relaxed and safe atmosphere.

The courtyard will be the site of seasonal events which may include a Farmers’ Market, a pumpkin patch, holiday tree lighting festivities, and performances by Denver School of the Arts (DSA).

Most tenants currently occupying space at Oneida Park will stay. Five retail spaces from 600 to1,600 square feet are available for lease. Snyder believes retail services or small boutiques would likely be the best fit.

For information about the project and location, visit www.oneidapark.com.