Denver's Regis University moves forward with "Regis Village" redevelopment project
For nearly a decade, Denver's Regis University has been planning a mixed-use redevelopment project.
"Regis University is a university that I would like to be known as an anchor institution in the city," said its interim president, Rev. D. Scott Hendrickson, SJ.
Their plans were officially greenlit after the Denver City Council approved the university's rezoning request.
"We would be looking at developing community-friendly pedestrian areas, in addition to residential spaces, commercial space, which is for retail, and then our own academic expansion as needed," said Hendrickson.
The project will allow Regis to expand and improve the area and will also create additional revenue streams.
"We will create spaces to develop that will allow us to lease out some of the properties, which is wonderful for us because it creates a revenue diversification of our revenue stream," Hendrickson added. "The costs of education are rising, as everybody knows, and so the more we can support our students with scholarships and financial aid."
The plan is to establish what they call "Regis Village." Right now, the area along Federal Boulevard between 50th and 52nd avenues includes a large amount of parking lot space, a McDonald's, a strip mall, and over 20 acres of possibilities.
"We're encouraged that this kind of thing is going to be happening in the neighborhood," said Bill Killam, who has lived in the nearby Berkeley Regis neighborhood for 40 years and serves on the neighborhood association's Board of Directors, Berkeley Regis United Neighbors. He says he wishes the university had submitted a concrete development plan with its request for rezoning.
"Not knowing exactly what's going to be actually proposed for construction, how many housing units, what kind of retail, what else might be, it's hard for the neighbors to get on board totally without having that information," said Killam.
They expressed those concerns in a letter to city council.
"The last statement in our letter is, BRUN board and zoning and planning committee members hope that the university remains true to their values of community engagement, allowing BRUN members and the adjoining neighbors to have continued input as the development of this important property progresses," said Killam. "So, we are encouraged."
While there's no set timeline on the project's completion, the university says it's committed to continuing conversations with its neighbors.
"It's important for us to be involved and connected with the city, with our neighbors, with the local businesses," said Hendrickson. "So, we really look forward to that, that ongoing communication."