Northfield High's parking crunch could be eased with city parkland. No deal has reached the Council

Construction at Northfield High School in Central Park has removed dozens of parking spaces, and students and parents are parking and dropping off on nearby residential streets, Denver7 reported. Denver Public Schools and the city told the station they are discussing a temporary lot on land owned by Denver Parks and Recreation, just southeast of the campus, that could later become permanent.

Why it matters: neighbors have reported blocked alleys and hydrants, speeding and unsafe crossings on Central Park Boulevard, according to the report. A lot on city parkland would be a city decision as well as a school one.

The numbers

According to Denver7:

• Northfield's enrollment grew from 1,238 students in 2020-21 to 2,131 in 2024-25.
• The campus lot under construction had 130 spaces and lost 61. When finished it will have 175, a net gain of 45.
• 100 spaces that had been reserved for construction crews recently opened: 80 for Northfield and 20 for DSST: Conservatory Green High School, which shares the Paul Sandoval Campus.
• The Parks land under discussion would add about 130 spaces.
• The construction project is expected to reach substantial completion in September 2027.

"We know that it's a problem in the neighborhood," DPS spokesperson Scott Pribble told the station. No agreement has been finalized.

What our records add

No agreement filed yet. We searched the city's legislative records for Northfield and the Paul Sandoval Campus. As of Tuesday, no lease, license or intergovernmental agreement for a parking lot had been filed for Council review. Whether one would need Council approval depends on its terms: city contracts above $500,000 generally go to the Council, as do many intergovernmental agreements, while smaller or short-term permits may not. If a deal is filed, it would go first to a Council committee.

The district's Council member. The campus is in District 8, represented by Council member Shontel Lewis.

A pedestrian signal already planned. At a March 4 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting, a city transportation presenter said the city would build a pedestrian signal at 56th Avenue and Beeler Street "for the Northfield campus in District 8," and said residents and the Council had raised it as a priority (video). The presenter described it as part of the city's Safe Routes to School work, alongside new school-zone flashing beacons and crossing guard funding.

Safe Routes and the budget. Last fall, the Council voted 13-0 to fund Safe Routes to School projects in the 2026 budget, 25-1757, as our story on last year's amendments notes. None of the amendments the Council took up Monday night for the 2027 budget concerned school parking or Safe Routes to School (meeting).

What's next

• DPS and Denver Parks and Recreation continue talks on the lot, according to Denver7. We will watch for an agreement in the city's legislative system.
• Construction on the campus continues toward a September 2027 finish.
• Residents with parking or traffic complaints can report them through Denver 311.