Interim President Ray Kieft reports that four housing projects near the Auraria campus have the potential to create more than 2,500 apartments for students at Metro, CCD and CU-Denver. Two of the projects are in close proximity to the campus: the Executive Tower Inn at 14th and Curtis and the Atlas Metal site just west of the Administration Building. One project is east of the city, at Lowry, and the fourth is in northwest Denver.

The upper 14 floors of the Executive Tower Inn are being remodeled into apartments of varying sizes with rents that start at $400 per month. The Executive Tower Inn project, which is being handled by a limited liability corporation that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the AHEC Foundation, is scheduled for completion in fall of 2006.

"There is no commitment or guarantee from Metro State about its students using this housing," says Dean Wolf, executive vice president of AHEC, adding that that there are no dollars committed to the project from the Auraria Foundation or the campus.

The new CU Real Estate Foundation is developing the Atlas Metal site, which is also scheduled for opening in fall of 2006. While it is hoped that students will fill them, the apartments will be open to anyone.

Metro State has been approached about housing students at the third project, the residence halls at Lowry for Community College of Aurora students. The last project is the former Regency Hotel west of I-25 at 38th. Currently condemned, the property is being redeveloped and has a scheduled opening date of August 2005.