Final State Budget Approval Secures Funding for Auraria Campus Public Safety Center

General Contractor Selected; Groundbreaking Set for September 2025

DENVER, CO – With final state budget approval secured, the Auraria Campus will break ground in fall 2025 on a new, centralized Campus Public Safety Center – marking a major step toward reimagining campus safety through modern facilities, student-focused services, and community engagement.

State budget approval provides the last piece of funding needed to initiate the construction of the $36 million project, improving the campus’s public safety operations and expanding access to safety resources for students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.

The two-story, 32,000-square-foot Campus Public Safety Center will serve as the cornerstone of a modernized safety infrastructure. It will include updated offices for the Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD), new classrooms for use by all three campuses’ higher education institutions’ criminal justice programs, dedicated spaces for officer training and community programming, and a separate, secure 24/7 student-centered lounge, food options, study areas, and community learning space.

“Finalizing the funding for this long-anticipated project marks a major milestone for Auraria Campus,” said Colleen Walker, Auraria Campus CEO. “The Campus Public Safety Center will strengthen our emergency response capabilities while also serving as a hub for education, student support, and meaningful community engagement.”

The urgency for this project is supported by growing national concerns around college campus safety. National surveys show more than 50% of students believe more should be done to ensure their protection on campus. Students from historically marginalized communities—including women, LGBTQIA+ students, and students of color—often report feeling less safe or having negative interactions with campus safety officials.

These findings underscore the importance of the Auraria Campus’s 2025 Community Engagement Report, which emphasizes the need to co-locate and enhance public safety resources in a more inclusive and accessible way. The new Campus Public Safety Center is a direct response to that vision.

“This new facility will significantly strengthen our service to the Auraria community,” said Chief Jason Mollendor of the Auraria Campus Police Department. “It will provide safer, more welcoming spaces for students and offer expanded opportunities for education and engagement in public safety – and the opportunity for the Auraria Campus to train the next generation of law enforcement professionals.”

GH Phipps has been selected as the contractor for this project through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, clearing the path for pre-construction activities to begin this summer.

“We’re honored to partner with the Auraria Campus on this transformative project,” said Chad Cleveland, Vice President at GH Phipps. “As a builder deeply committed to community-centered spaces, we’re proud to help create a facility that enhances public safety while also providing dedicated educational space to support students pursuing criminal justice and public service careers.”

A groundbreaking is scheduled for September 3, 1 p.m. on the Auraria Campus with more details to follow.

For more information about the Campus Safety Center or construction updates, please visit www.aurariacampus.edu/buildingauraria.

The Auraria Campus, home to the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and University of Colorado Denver, remains dedicated to advancing safety and student success through innovative, student-informed infrastructure investments.

Media Contact:
Devra Ashby
Director of Marketing and Communications
Auraria Campus
720-703-2577 devra.ashby@ahec.edu