DENVER — Rocky Mountain Public Media, Colorado’s largest statewide, member-supported, multimedia organization and parent of Rocky Mountain PBS and KUVO Jazz, has raised $14 million in 12 months, putting it on track to break ground in August on its new headquarters, the Buell Public Media Center, in Denver’s Arapahoe Square.
This new 63,000-square-foot facility, located three blocks east of Coors Field, will be the anchor to the developing Arapahoe Square neighborhood. The center will be located along the 5280 Loop, a visionary project of the City and County of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership. The project team includes: Tryba Architects – architect; Mortenson Construction – general contractor; Wells Partnership – owner’s representative, and The Kellogg Organization Inc. – fundraising counsel.
“Through the generosity of our donors, we have raised $22.46 million toward our $30 million goal for our capital campaign, which is central to our efforts to make public media more accessible, transparent and engaging to all Coloradans,” said Amanda Mountain, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Public Media. “The Buell Public Media Center will serve as a symbol of the important role public media plays in strengthening the civic fabric of our communities, while also invigorating an important thoroughfare in downtown Denver.”
The capital campaign is anchored by a $6 million gift announced last year from the Buell Foundation, the new facility’s namesake.
“This is only the second capital campaign in Rocky Mountain Public Media’s 62-year history,” said Mary Sissel, campaign co-chair. “And it not only supports a new facility, but also funds the future of the organization.”
Besides housing Rocky Mountain Public Media’s broadcast operations center, the Buell Public Media Center will include Masterpiece Studio, a flex-space black box broadcast studio and community event space, a music performance studio, and shared offices and studios to facilitate collaboration among the state’s other public media radio and television stations.
An appreciation event took place last night in Denver to recognize donors and reveal updated renderings of the building. Recent large gifts to the project include:
- $1.5 million from The Metzler Family for an area devoted to RMPBS KIDS programming;
- $1 million from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation for the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Performance Studio for live performance broadcasts;
- $1 million from an anonymous donor to support the media center’s statewide advanced technological capability – the Digital Distribution Infrastructure; and,
- $500,000 gifts from Douglas Price and Hazel Stevens Price; Doug Morton and Marilyn Brown; Patricia Pacey and Charles Neinas; and the Sturm Family Foundation
“We are very excited about the new Buell Public Media Center and its impact on our community,” said Gary Steuer, president and CEO, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. “Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is especially pleased to direct its support to the KUVO performance studio, one of Denver’s great cultural assets, the keeper of the flame for our rich jazz heritage, and one of the top jazz radio stations in the nation. This is truly a ‘gift that will keep on giving’ for years — even decades — to come.”
