Metropolitan State University of Denver has officially broken ground on its first on-campus student housing complex in the school’s 60-year history. The 12-story Summit House, set to open in 2027, will provide 155 units and 550 student beds, a new home for the Classroom to Career Hub, and dining and retail space.
“This is really the beginning of a transformation,” said MSU Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D. “This is a huge step for this University.”
Located on the north side of campus across from Ball Arena, the $117 million project, developed in partnership with Columbia Ventures, will be funded through philanthropic gifts and bonds, including a $10 million anonymous donation dedicated to housing scholarships and ongoing building maintenance. University leaders emphasize that the residence hall will be financially self-sustaining, with no impact on the school’s operating budget.
“This planned gift is very, very inspiring for us,” Shelley Thompson, associate vice president of University Advancement, said. “The goal of this donor is really to keep the cost of living on this campus within reach for as many of our students as possible.”
The mass timber building, designed by Shears Adkins Rockmore, will have public-facing food and retail (22,000 square feet) on the first floor, C2 hub on the second floor (25,000 square feet), and student housing on the remaining floors 3-12 (150,000 square feet).
Summit House marks the first phase of a larger Living and Learning Hub that will also bring workforce housing and a new child-care center to the Auraria Campus. Leaders say the project will foster a stronger campus community while addressing rising housing costs in downtown Denver.
