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A new office building at 1401 Lawrence St. will providing about 400 new parking spaces within a block of the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Photo by John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter.

The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the largest of its kind in the country under one roof. It is home to the Tony Award-winning DCPA Theatre Company, Broadway touring productions, contemporary dance and ballet, chorales, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, internationally acclaimed opera and much more. With 15 performance and meeting spaces over its 12 acres, parking spaces can be few and far between on a busy night.

The math is grim: The complex offers almost 12,000 seats. And the on-site, city-owned parking structure (pictured at right) offers only 1,700 spots. Even with the 1,000 spaces available at the nearby Colorado Convention Center, many patrons are left searching for alternate places to park.

But there’s relief on the way.

Last month, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock unveiled “Next Stage,” a bold proposal for what a transformed Denver Performing Arts Complex might look like. The plan calls for a new parking facility under Sculpture Park that would raise the current number of available parking spots by 900. The plan is still in the conceptual phase, and design proposals are expected in 2017.

More immediately: A new office building at 1401 Lawrence St. will include nine levels of parking, providing about 400 new parking spaces. The 23-story high-rise is scheduled to open this June. Another new office tower at 15^th and Arapahoe streets will include 13 levels of parking, introducing 850 more much-needed parking spaces downtown. The 40-floor building, with a targeted opening date of December 2017, will be the fourth-tallest building in Denver.

Denver Performing Arts Complex parking tips

In the meantime, check out our list of 10 available nearby parking locations, all within a 15-minute walk to the arts complex. First, two insider tips: The city now offers $25 valet parking on most nights in the arts center garage. Enter on 13th street between Arapahoe and Champa streets. Also: Park at the Independence Plaza garage underneath the Rock Bottom Brewery at 16th and Curtis streets. Eat at the restaurant after 3 p.m. (or all day on weekends) and your parking will be validated for only $3.

This new office tower at 15^th and Arapahoe streets will introduce 850 more parking spaces downtown within a block of the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Photo by John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter.

Alternate transportation to the arts complex

MORE PARKING SUGGESTIONS:

Ten selected parking options close to the Denver Performing Arts Complex:

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16^th Street Center Parking, 1621 Champa St. MAP

• 7-minute walk
• Parked after 4 p.m.: $6

Alpha Park, 1440 Stout St. MAP

• 5-minute walk

• Night rates: $7-$15

Colorado Convention Center, 1104 Champa St. MAP

• 5-minute walk
• Park up to 8 hours: $12

Writer Square Parking, 1551 Lawrence St. MAP

• 10-minute walk
• Friday after 5 p.m., all day Saturday and Sunday: $10

Spot Parking, 1481 Lawrence St. MAP

• 8-minute walk
• Each hour: $6
• All day: $13, Saturday and Sunday after 4 p.m.: $12

Tremont Parking Garage, 440 15^th St. MAP

• 11-minute walk
• Friday nights through Sunday nights: $6

Pavilions Mall Garage, 15^th and Glenarm Place, 1533 Welton St. MAP

• 10-minute walk
• Park 2-3 hours: $12, park over 3 hours: $14
• 800 underground parking spaces off Welton Street, 200 surface parking spaces off Glenarm Place.

Hilton Garden Inn, 1400 Welton St. MAP

• 7-minute walk

• Park up to 4 hours: $20

Park Central Garage, 1550 Lawrence St. MAP

• 10-minute walk
• Friday after 5 p.m. and all day Saturday: $10
• Sunday evenings: $6

17th Street Parking, 1761 Lawrence St. MAP

• 12-minute walk
• Weekends and evenings after 4 p.m.: $6

To reserve hotel parking spots the night of a show at a cheaper price, check out parkme.com, parkingpanda.com and parkwhiz.com.

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• Curtis Hotel, 2-minute walk to DPAC
• Renaissance Downtown, 9-minute walk to DPAC
• Crowne Plaza Denver Downtown, 9-minute walk to DPAC
• Grand Hyatt Denver, 13-minute walk to DPAC
• Spring Hill Suites, 14-minute walk to DPAC

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​ More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter