Showcasing Little Saigon

Father Deng is a staunch advocate for Little Saigon, the area along Federal Boulevard between Alameda and Mississippi in Southwest Denver. With an abundance of Vietnamese-owned restaurants, shops and markets, Little Saigon is one of Denver’s most culturally-rich corridors. Father Deng’s passion for his community led him to the Denver Streets Partnership and our work with local business owners to establish a Business Improvement District (BID) in the area. Across the United States, Vietnamese-American communities have come together to create Little Saigon districts to celebrate Vietnamese culture, history, and businesses. The Federal Boulevard corridor has the potential to be the next great Little Saigon by creating a strong sense of place and pride in the Little Saigon district, reflecting its unique and vibrant cultural diversity; supporting thriving, locally-owned businesses that provide economic opportunities for area residents; fostering community engagement with residents and businesses; and contributing to the community’s overall health by encouraging increased walking, biking, and transit. In partnership with Father Deng and local businesses, the Denver Streets Partnership implemented a short term demonstration project along the corridor, using low-cost materials to test designs that could be installed more permanently in the future. This demonstration coincided with a community event to celebrate the local multicultural flair: the first ever Little Saigon Night Market. For the event, the parking lot of the Asia Center on S Federal and Mississippi was repurposed into a multicultural marketplace and public plaza complete with an artistic pedestrian walkway, trees, plants, lighting and public seating. A colorful koi fish mural was also installed at a nearby bus stop. An estimated 500 people attended despite cold, rainy weather. Father Deng and the local business owners were thrilled! They requested a second event on the corridor, resulting in the hosted the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 13. The event drew an estimated 5,000 people to the Far East Center at S Federal and Alameda Ave, where the parking lot was once again repurposed into a marketplace and plaza and a vibrant mural was added to a large, blank wall. The success of both these events demonstrated the economic benefits that come with creating a more walkable and welcoming environment, and made it clear there is an appetite in metro Denver for culturally-focused districts and events. Father Deng’s pride in his community is even more evident now as he works diligently with the Denver Streets Partnership to increase the opportunities and exposure of Little Saigon.