Progress on CU South, a new property in Louisville and a fresh plan to tackle climate change are some of the updates University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano shared with Boulder residents on Wednesday.
Members of the Boulder community and CU Boulder affiliates attended a CU Night event at the Boulder Theater Wednesday evening to learn more about the relationship between Boulder and the university.
“Boulder’s brilliance is a key factor that helps CU to attract the top scholars and the brightest students to our university and our town,” DiStefano said. “We are stronger together, and I look forward to seeing our partnerships grow and evolve in the future.”
Attendees heard updates on major projects, including collaborations between the city and university, that impact Boulder residents.
The Limelight Hotel Boulder, a collaboration between the university and the city, will be a hotel and conference center at the corner of Broadway and the university set to open in the summer of 2025. It will include 254 rooms, 25,000 square feet of meeting space, a 15,000-square-foot ballroom, a 5,000-square-foot outdoor event lawn and a 585-stall parking garage.
“The Limelight is part of a larger, shared effort to revitalize University Hill and ensure that it remains a valued area for students, residents and visitors for decades to come,” DiStefano said.
Since CU Boulder annexed CU South, city staffers have been conducting site design and permitting for a flood protection project. Once flood protection measures are in place, CU Boulder will start detailed site planning with the CU and Boulder communities.
“CU Boulder’s development of the site would begin no sooner than 2027, and we plan to provide housing for faculty, staff and potentially graduate students that’s closer to where they work and study,” DiStefano said.
Boulder Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Speer said the university has shaped Boulder’s identity and the city wouldn’t be the same place without it.
“Downtown Boulder really wouldn’t be the incredible destination it is without the students, faculty and staff of CU Boulder,” Downtown Boulder Partnership CEO Bettina Swigger said.
New on-campus housing will be built at 19th and Athens streets near Boulder High School to provide more options for undergraduate housing.
“It’s an important step in our Campus Master Plan, which envisions adding 4,400 to 6,000 on-campus beds over the next 15 to 30 years,” DiStefano said.
CU Boulder also bought a $10 million property in Louisville in May, a former Regal Cinebarre movie theater, where the university seeks to build off-campus housing.
“This property holds great potential for mixed-use development, including transit-oriented housing for faculty, staff and potentially graduate students and their families,” DiStefano said.
A public visioning session will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. July 25 at the Louisville Recreation and Senior Center, 900 Via Appia Way. Event registration is available at cuboulder.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_esQJ87lC4islSvQ.
DiStefano also discussed various sustainability projects, including the completion of the updated Climate Action Plan, exploration of geothermal energy and potential energy efficiency and solar projects.
After the university saw record-breaking application numbers this spring, DiStefano said CU Boulder will focus on sustainable growth rather than dramatic shifts when it comes to enrollment.
“We remain focused on keeping enrollment growth around 0.5 to 1% per year, with significant attention on retaining students to ensure they complete their degrees,” DiStefano said.
In athletics, the CU Buffs have generated nearly $1 billion in economic impact statewide in the last three years.
The football team is back in the national spotlight with Coach Prime, the men’s and women’s basketball teams competed in the NCAA Tournament and the ski team won its 21st national championship.
“Our student-athletes this spring posted their highest semester GPA and their highest cumulative GPA in school history,” DiStefano said. “I’m so proud of the achievements of all our student-athletes both in competition and in the classroom.”
Swigger presented a brick with a placard on it to DiStefano and his wife, Yvonne, to thank them for their collaboration with Boulder.
“I want to make sure he and Yvonne know that they are as integral a part to our community as the bricks that make up the Pearl Street Mall,” Swigger said.
DiStefano will retire as chancellor at the end of the month after 15 years, and Justin Schwartz, executive vice president and provost at Pennsylvania State University, will take over.
Speer said she’s grateful for DiStefano’s “unwavering dedication to enhancing the town-gown relationship.”
“Your work has laid the foundation for an enduring partnership by inspiring all of us to continue fostering our relationship,” Speer said. “I’m confident Chancellor Schwartz will continue to build on this legacy of commitment and collaboration, ushering in a new era of success for Boulder and the CU community.”
