Up to 420,000 square feet of mixed-use space could see construction in Denver if plans for a university project become reality.
The Metropolitan State University of Denver wants to build both new residential and retail space on its spacious 150-acre Auraria campus in the central part of the city.
As envisioned, the project will go up near the intersection of the Auraria Parkway and 11th Street.
According to just-announced plans, more than 300 units of mixed-income affordable housing will be built, with a portion of those units available for the school’s faculty and staff.
That residential building will also include facilities for the school’s Auraria Higher Education Center, which features programs for children from 12 months to 5 years of age.
In a statement, Colleen Walker, chief executive officer of the Auraria Higher Education Center, said the mission behind the new project is to “create new spaces for accessible housing opportunities, early and higher educational programs, and continue to support workforce development.”
The retail and/or commercial building part of the project will house classroom space for the school’s workforce development.
If all goes as currently planned, work on the commercial building could launch next summer, with a rough completion date of the end of 2025. Work on the residential building is set to begin sometime in early 2025, with a late 2026 completion date.
Founded in 1965, the Metropolitan State University is defined as an opportunity school, with an emphasis on smaller class sizes. In the fall of 2022, the school had an enrollment of nearly 16,000 students.
By Garry Boulard
