Research and Creative Work

In the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado Denver, students and faculty engage directly with our vibrant city, dynamic community, and magnificent landscape by working on real projects that make a real difference. 

Grand Lake Center

Date: 7/1/2015 - 9/1/2016
Principal Researchers:
  • Project Team: Matthew Breen, Katie Lucas, Serena McClintick, Ross Williams, Katie Benz
  • Local Participants: Jim White, DiAnn Butler
  • DOLA Regional Manager: Greg Winkler
Location: Grand Lake, CO

The closing of the elementary school in town had many impacts and created some opportunities as well. An Elementary school is a kind of social bulletin board, where people congregate to discuss happenings around town, school events, and build community bonds. With the school closed, such networks were lost, but there remained a 22,000 square foot building ripe with potential to address many shortcomings in the town’s infrastructure.

Working with the Grand County Economic Development Agency, the first priority was to create the ability to extend the summer season with conference, and special events hosted at the newly coined ”Grand Lake Center”. A five year commitment from “The Disney Way”, an organization specializing in customer service training, provided the impetus to get the conference center/community center up and running immediately, but within the balance of the building, classrooms for continuing education and art instruction, as well as a cooking school, an exercise facility a yoga studio, and locker rooms, showers and bathrooms to serve the users. The building could then act as the hub of social networking within the community as it once had.

College of Architecture and Planning

CU Denver

CU Denver Building

1250 14th Street

2000

Denver, CO 80202


303-315-1000

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