In the Community

Thanks in large part to community input, the campus will mean safe connections, free educational experiences, jobs, fresh-food access and riverfront recreation.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Longtime neighbors and the broader Denver community have helped shape the project from the very start. Together, we’re ensuring that campus redevelopment, programs and revenues benefit our community — especially our closest neighbors in Globeville and Elyria-Swansea (GES).

A Community Advisory Committee convened in 2013; it meets monthly and provides an opportunity for the community to learn about and have meaningful input on the redevelopment.
In 2015, precincts adjacent to the National Western Center voted overwhelmingly in support of funding the redevelopment project (72% in Elyria-Swansea, 78% in Globeville).
Community members who helped shape the 2015 master plan ensured integration with the community would be a guiding principle in campus planning, redevelopment, programs and more.
The National Western Center Authority Board of Directors — which guides the center’s programs, operations and finances — includes two members from the local neighborhoods.
The Youth Action Team at Bruce Randolph School, supported by CSU Spur and partners, is giving students a voice related to the National Western Center project.
Denver Public Art commissions will involve design conversations between artists and the community, and in one case, hands-on co-creation – such as on local artist David Ocelotl Garcia’s Sun Bridge and Moon Bridge installations.

A PLACE TO GATHER, VIA NEW CONNECTIONS

The site has been largely inaccessible for generations. Following years of planning with local residents, the redevelopment will connect long-disconnected neighborhoods through better roads, bridges, signage, sidewalks, river trails and gathering places.

Longtime neighborhood residents and advocates John Zapien and Bettie Cram walk at a 2017 ceremony designating the future Bettie Cram Drive at the National Western Center. The new street will connect Globeville with Elyria-Swansea.

Safe, multi-modal connections, such as bike lanes, walking paths, and links to the RTD N Line, making the campus accessible.
Two new bridges across the South Platte River, connecting the Globeville neighborhood to the site.
Six acres of new open space on a stretch of river that has been inaccessible for generations.
Free, public-facing programs and events – particularly at CSU Spur.

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

A community investment fund will benefit the local neighborhoods.

Retail transactions will offer consumers an opportunity to round up their final purchase – proceeds will go to the National Western Center’s Community Investment Fund, managed by the GES community.
A committee of local residents, formed by Denver City Councilmembers Candi CdeBaca and Debbie Ortega, will establish community oversight and structure for the fund, identify how dollars will be distributed, and explore other potential sources of revenue.
The board of directors adopted community benefits guiding principles (PDF) in 2019 to guide inclusive operations, policies and programs in ways that benefit the community.

JOBS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT

The National Western Center redevelopment project as a whole (including CSU Spur) is expected to generate 10,000 jobs and more than $1 billion in regional economic impact.

The City and County of Denver’s workforce program does targeted outreach to those in economically-disadvantaged areas.
The redevelopment project includes a robust representation of minority/women-owned and/or disadvantaged businesses (M/WBE/DBE), following city guidelines.
CSU Spur is working within an “anchor institution” framework, which leverages opportunities at a major institution to support the communities surrounding it.

PROGRAMS & EXPERIENCES

This is a place to reconnect to our roots, and to one another. We’re creating a place where everyone feels welcome.

Public food market. The historic 1909 Stadium Building on 46^th Avenue is envisioned as a hub for local, fresh, healthful and affordable food. The market will create opportunities to local food entrepreneurs as well as producers from across Colorado.
Interpretive signage and artifacts on the campus will help tell the story of the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods, and the site itself.
CSU Spur has worked extensively in the community since 2013; view all of CSU Spur’s engagement at csuspur.org. Examples include:
- A pipeline of activities with Bruce Randolph School related to college readiness, including visits to Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses, STEM work with the Little Shop of Physics, young empowerment programming, activities focused on planning for college, and more.
- Annually since 2013, veterinarians from CSU and the Dumb Friends League have provided free exams and vaccinations to more than 200 pets from Globeville and Elyria-Swansea.
- The CSU Spur Scholarship is available for students from the 80216 zip code. Students will be provided up to $2,500 a year for four years.
The National Western Stock Show is a nonprofit, agriculture tradition that has been anchored in the GES community for more than a century.
- In 2019 the National Western Stock Show created a special college scholarship opportunity with the GES community top of mind. Its Denver Scholarship Program focuses exclusively on Denver high school students who express a passion and commitment to the field of agriculture.
History Colorado is a partner in the project, and seeks to foster community cohesion and shared identity.
- History Colorado interviewed area residents and stakeholders for a Neighborhood Memory Project in 2018, gathering the stories of more than 30 residents who collectively captured the community history of this place. They also partnered with CSU Spur and Bruce Randolph School on a Youth Memory Project.