As the University of Colorado prepares for the start of fall classes later this month, construction work continues across campus.
Construction is ongoing for a slate of big-ticket projects, and design work is ongoing for another slate of planned projects. Some of the ongoing and planned projects address CU's deferred maintenance backlog, which now totals $452.1 million for general-fund buildings. Other projects include entirely new buildings and large additions to existing buildings.
In the coming weeks, too, a CU department will launch a yearlong "visioning" process to set 30-year goals for campus facilities. Each college, school and program will be asked to provide their strategic plans to the planning, design and construction department, which will aggregate those plans and set a vision for the campus by next summer. The process also will be used to inform the next campus master plan, which will be completed in 2021.
"We're engaging with constituents across campus to understand their strategic plans, their vision for the next 15, 20, 30 years — 30 years at the outermost — and to really understand where we're going and be better prepared to meet those needs of the future," said Chris Ewing, the department's assistant vice chancellor, "so every decision we make today is in position to support the future."
Ongoing construction
The following projects, totaling more than $205 million, are under construction now.
Aerospace Engineering building construction: Workers broke ground on this 173,600-square-foot building on CU's East Campus in October 2017. It will cost an estimated $101.2 million and is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2019.
The building will house the university's aerospace engineering sciences department, and it is designed to accommodate rapid growth of the program in recent years and anticipated growth in the future. CU officials previously have said they envision the new building as being both the central location for the university's growing program and, more broadly, a hub for the entire state's aerospace sector. It will feature research and office spaces and a 200-seat auditorium, among other things.
CU officials expect minimal effects on traffic or campus functions during the project.
Williams Village East Residence Hall construction: Workers broke ground on this 178,000-square-foot building on the Williams Village Campus at 3300 Baseline Road in the summer of 2017. It will cost an estimated $96.7 million and is scheduled to be completed ahead of the start of classes in the fall of 2019.
The building will add 700 beds and provide more on-campus housing for students.
CU officials expect minimal effects on traffic or campus functions during the project.
23rd Street bridge construction: Workers broke ground on this project, which will span Boulder Creek near the Champions Center on Stadium Drive, in July. It will cost an estimated $4 million — $2.8 million of which will be covered by a FEMA grant — and is scheduled to be completed in early 2019.
Once this bridge is complete, CU workers will remove the old Stadium Bridge and 21st Street Bridge, which is currently the only usable pedestrian bridge across the creek between 17th and Folsom streets. The new bridge will provide ADA accessibility, CU officials said, as well as replace bridges affected by the 2013 flood and provide flood mitigation with the removal of the two old bridges.
Stadium Drive could be reduced to one lane at times during the project, and there will be a hard-surface detour of the creek path around the construction site, likely starting this week.
Engineering Center renovation: Work began in May to update the administrative wing of the Engineering Center at 1111 Engineering Drive. It will cost an estimated $3.9 million and is scheduled to be completed before the fall semester begins later this month.
The renovations are designed to address deferred maintenance needs, including the replacement of the HVAC and other mechanical systems. They're also designed to resize offices and implement a shift toward open office spaces.
Projects approved by Board of Regents
The following projects, totaling more than $98 million, have been approved by the Board of Regents and are going through later design stages.
Imig Music Building expansion: Work is expected to start on this 58,000-square-foot addition to the south side of the Imig Music Building at 1020 18th St. in December 2018 or January 2019. It will cost an estimated $57 million and is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2020.
The expansion is designed to accommodate growth in the program, allow for interdisciplinary music classes and include studio and classroom space for the theatre and dance department.
CU officials anticipate closing Wardenburg Drive to through-traffic for the duration of the project, rerouting parking lot access in the area to 18th Street and temporarily moving some groups to other spaces on campus. The majority of the building will remain open, including the Grusin Music Hall.
Ramaley Biology building expansion: Work is expected to start on this 29,500-square-foot addition to the west end of the Ramaley Biology building at 1800 Colorado Ave. in late fall. It will cost an estimated $21.8 million and is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2020.
The expansion is designed to accommodate the integrative physiology program, the second largest major on campus, and provide new research spaces. CU awarded 295 bachelor degrees in integrative physiology during fiscal year 2018.
CU officials anticipate the construction will affect the pedestrian flow along the north side of the building, and construction will be staged on Sewall Field. The majority of the building will remain open.
Fleming tower renovation: Work is expected to start on the five-story, west tower of the Fleming building at 2480 Kittredge Loop Drive in the spring of 2019. It will cost an estimated $13.7 million and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.
The renovations are designed to address deferred maintenance needs, including electrical and HVAC systems. They also will address infrastructure in the central core area and provide office swing space to accommodate other, future renovation projects on campus.
19th Street bridge construction: Work is expected to start, tentatively, in 2019. The new bridge will cost an estimated $6 million — with 80 percent covered by the Denver Regional Council of Governments — and is expected to be completed some time in 2020.
The bridge will provide another ADA accessible connection between the area north of Boulder Creek and the main campus. It will replace the old 19th Street bridge that was destroyed in the 2013 flood.
