Chancellor Philip DiStefano addressed the state legislature鈥檚听听on Tuesday,听advocating for听renovation funding for the Hellems and Guggenheim Buildings and other sorely needed maintenance projects.听
DiStefano spoke about the deferred maintenance needs of the buildings, which are both more than 100 years old, and about their valuable role in students鈥� education despite their age.听
Chancellor Philip DiStefano
He also expressed concern that the Hellems renovation was not included in the governor鈥檚 recommendation for continuation funding, since initial funding for the project was provided last year and design work has already begun.听
鈥淏oth the Hellems and Guggenheim buildings contribute greatly to the academic experience and progress of our students, and I hope both will be part of your consideration this budget cycle,鈥� he said.听
DiStefano was joined by CU System President Todd Saliman, Regent听Nolbert听Chavez and the chancellors of CU Denver, CU Anschutz and UCCS in advocating for facility funding and answering questions about various topics across the four campuses.听
The state has limited funds available to support maintenance and construction each year, and the Capital Development Committee is charged with reviewing requests from state agencies and affiliates and making prioritized recommendations to the Joint Budget Committee.听
Before the projects arrive before the CDC, they are vetted extensively at the campus and system levels, approved by the Board of听Regents听and prioritized by the Colorado Department of Higher Education.听
The Hellems Arts and Sciences Building renovation has been on the campus priority list since 2004 and serves about 85% of undergraduate students at some point in their college career, DiStefano said.听
The building is used by students in 42 departments, making it a critical space for the development of Colorado鈥檚 future workforce. In fact, half of the 7,113 first-year students took at least one course in the building during the 2019鈥�20 academic year, according to campus data.听
Hellems has not undergone major renovation since 1937 and is now in dire need of comprehensive improvements, DiStefano said.听
Renovations will address life safety deficiencies, including ADA compliance, fire safety, and indoor air quality.听
The campus is also incorporating student input into the design to create a welcoming space to support learning, inspire collaboration and help create a sense of community.听
The second phase of the project is estimated at $27.2 million, of which the university will provide more than 60%. The state request for this phase is $10.9 million.听
Multiple committee members indicated support for the Hellems project.听
鈥淚t does not make sense to stop in the middle, in the midst of a project, and leave it sitting for a year or more without completion, so I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any intention in this group to not move forward with recommendation of finishing Hellems because we鈥檝e started the project,鈥� Sen. Tammy Story (D-Conifer) said.听
Rep. Edie Hooton (D-Boulder) also was a vocal advocate for the project.听
鈥淭he legislature made a commitment to Hellems, and I think that we should honor that commitment,鈥� she said.听
The chancellor also described the pressing needs of the Guggenheim Geography Building, constructed in 1908, which serves 18 academic departments and nearly 2,400 students per year.听
Guggenheim requires substantial restoration and modernization including asbestos mitigation, electrical and fire alarm system improvements, lighting,听HVAC听and roofing.听
CU Boulder is requesting about $12 million from the state toward the project, which is estimated to cost $30.2 million in total.听
DiStefano also highlighted his desire to partner with the state on deferred maintenance projects on campus, where aging buildings have created a $1.3 billion maintenance backlog when housing and auxiliary buildings are included.听
He also explained how CU Boulder is preparing for the future in its facility planning through improved space utilization, building efficiency features, and sustainability efforts.听
DiStefano added that health and safety concerns in the buildings for students and employees also make the projects critical.听
鈥淚鈥檓 looking both at the present and the future,鈥� DiStefano said.听
The university will know which projects receive state funding by late spring when the long bill is approved by the state legislature.听
