The University of Colorado Denver recently announced plans to construct a new building for the College of Engineering, Design and Computing on Downtown Denver’s Auraria Campus.
The new facility, to be constructed in phases, will be situated between 11th Street and Speer Boulevard just south of the Science Building and across from the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Here’s a Google Earth aerial image with the approximate location of the project site outlined.
Phase 1 consists of a four-story, 60,000 square foot facility situated fronting Speer Boulevard. The University is launching a fundraising effort to support the construction of the first phase with the balance of funding anticipated from the State of Colorado. The General Assembly will approve the funding (or not) during the current legislative session.
A future phase (or phases) would add two wings totaling an additional 135,000 square feet of space stretching behind the Phase 1 building towards 11th Street.
Below are two renderings showing the project after Phase 1 and after full-buildout, along with an evening view of the project at full build-out. The renderings are courtesy of ZGF, the firm hired to do the design. Additional interior renderings are available on the ZGF website here.
For more on the proposed new building for CU Denver’s College of Engineering, Design and Computing, check out this nice article from CU Denver Today.
If all goes as planned, Phase 1 would open in the summer of 2021.
Well this would have been nice when I went to engineering school there
They should get rid of some of their massive parking lots for this project instead of taking away more green space.
If I remember correctly from when I went there, the campus is now divided into “neighborhoods.” Each school has designated growth areas. CCD being mostly along Colfax, Metro being mostly along Auraria and UCD along Speer. Most of the parking infill spaces are within the areas of Metro and CCD. Plus Auraria Campus makes a ton off parking so I’m sure they will be the last to go.
Interesting concept. I’ve got to say, seeing so may green roofs in the renderings for new projects is hugely exciting.
fitting structure for an engineering building
UCD already destroyed the beautiful sightline down Market toward the Tivoli Building. Now they are going to do the same to St Elizabeth’s, probably the best terminating sightline in the city. They could have turned this site plan 90 degrees and moved it a little to the southeast to preserve the view, but I guess keeping that parking lot at 11st Street and Champa is more important than aesthetics and preserving a historical connection between downtown and Auraria. Where are those Lodo Design Review bureaucrats when you need them?
WTH ! Blocking view of St.Elizabeth’s ? Only an engineer could love…like running I-70 through two parks and a golf course in North Denver. Has the “Engine School” learned nothing in 56 years ?
CU Alum 1963
The placement of buildings on the Auraria Campus are based on the Auraria Campus Master Plan (https://www.ahec.edu/files/general/2017_Master_Plan.pdf) created by AHEC along with the University of Colorado Denver. The College of Engineering, Design and Computing has limited say in the siting of the building itself.
The parking lot at 11th and Champa is also a future building site. All surface parking lots on the campus will be eventually developed. Please check out the Auraria Campus Master Plan at: https://www.ahec.edu/files/general/2017_Master_Plan.pdf.
FYI, the Lower Downtown Design Review Board, comprised of Denver citizens who volunteer their time to serve the community on the board, does not have jurisdiction over the Auraria Campus.
Looks like a nice building! It will definitely help make Speer feel more urban and less like a freeway as the buildings closer to Auraria Parkway have. One small concern: I hope they studied the view corridor down Arapahoe Street of the church. I really love that view!
ITT: Nerds worrying about view planes (but who are really NIMBYs)
So I’ll have to actually walk on to the campus to see St Elizabeth’s???? GASP!
I always liked the view of St. Elizabeths too. The open space in front always seemed like the welcoming front door to the campus. I like this new building. It’s very dramatic….but, I hate what it does to the setting. It seems to overwhelm its site. It seems weird that it’s entrance is off to the side and off a bike path and it doesn’t form an entrance to the campus. It seem to face it’s ass towards St. Elizabeths and the campus and makes this big overstated gesture towards downtown. The Auraria campus has some very nice individual buildings but the overall feel is more techy office parkish. Not very collegiate.
I have to say again. I really like this building as a standalone object but It’s a disastrous misreading of the site. It seems to turn away from the campus. It does nothing to pull the campus together, not in orientation, not in materials, not in scale, not in geometry. I disagree with their promotional web page, that it forms an entrance to the campus. It forms a wall. In spite of liking the building, it just rubs me as missing the mark. It neglects the history and ethos of Auraria. It’s out of place.