North Nevada Avenue is a vital part of the future of UCCS, Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and Martin Wood, senior vice chancellor, University Advancement, said during an April 22 Chancellor’s All-Campus forum.
In a light-hearted presentation to about 100 faculty and staff in the University Center Theater, Shockley-Zalabak and Wood highlighted changes on the western campus border that neither expected to happen so quickly.
“We cannot not think of North Nevada as part of campus,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “It’s the only part of campus that can be developed without piers to keep buildings from sliding down the hill!”
Campus master planning efforts identified the North Nevada corridor as the future home for health, wellness and sports activities. Planning exercises turned quickly to construction following the success of the privately owned University Village Colorado and the Lane Center for Academic Health Sciences which opened in Feb. 2014.
“We thought this was going to take a number of years,” Wood said. “But once it got going, we’ve really seen the corridor explode.”
Wood pointed to an under construction car dealership, a future hospital site, and University Village Colorado as factors that created energy for building on the university’s side of North Nevada. As part of the City for Champions project, a 77,000-square foot Sports Medicine Performance Center is planned adjacent to the Lane Center. Recently, UCCS announced plans for the Ent Center for the Arts which will feature a 750-seat main theater, a 250-seat recital hall, the university’s 250-seat Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theatre, home to the UCCS resident theater company, Theatreworks, the Osborne Theater, to be used by the theater and dance program, and the Gallery of Contemporary Art.
The Ent Center is an example of community collaboration, Shockley-Zalabak said. The $60 million needed to complete the building came from multiple funding sources include state appropriations, CU president’s initiative funds, private donors, business and marketing agreements, and community arts organizations who have pledged to pay rent to use the new facility.
“If we are seen as relevant to our community, we can attract funding,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “That’s important while our alumni build careers that will allow them to someday financially support us.”
Groundbreaking for the Ent Center for the Arts will be in August with construction expected to continue through Jan. 2018.
Plans for the Sports, Wellness and Performance Center are less well defined. Wood explained that the building will receive about $16.8 million in state funds toward its $31 million estimated cost. The building will be dedicated to assisting high-performing athletes, including those injured by war. While details are yet to be completed, the new facility will offer research opportunities for faculty as well as clinical opportunities for students.
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