COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. Official dedication ceremonies for the renovated Cragmor Hall at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21.
Members of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, top university officials, and community leaders are expected to attend the ceremonies that cap more than $3.5 million in construction spanning three years. The project converted a 1950s nursing home into state-of-the-art staff offices and a campus visitor welcome center.
“This project occurred because of the commitment of this community,” Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak said. “It is a privilege to recognize the support that was required to complete this building in the wake of a state fiscal crisis.”
Originally part of the 2000 renovation of Main Hall, Cragmor’s renovation was abruptly halted in 2001 when state funds were withdrawn from the project. For more than a year, the building remained half-demolished, and modular units were hastily brought to the site for use as offices and classrooms. Private donations, including $120,000 from the Foundation for Colorado Springs Future and $150,000 from the Boettcher Foundation, allowed the project to be completed.
Originally built in 1950 and known as Cragmor Manor, the three-story building offered elderly residents independent living in small apartments complete with kitchens, baths and a balcony with the convenience of on-call nurses on each floor. Though owned by the university since 1965, little changed in Cragmor when the former nursing home rooms were used for offices and classrooms. According to university historical records, Cragmor’s bathtubs were once used to store library books. Nurse call buttons were still visible, though inoperable, prior to the renovation.
The renovated Cragmor is larger, more efficient and more attractive. Former balconies were enclosed to provide more space and the interior reconfigured for improved space efficiency. New heating and cooling systems, in addition to glazed walls, energy-efficient glass, sunshades and modern lighting will improve the building’s energy efficiency, according to Tom Ostenberg, director, Facilities Services. The new Cragmor will have 25,459 square feet, a six percent increase from the previously configured structure.
“This building is essentially brand new and should serve the occupants well for many years to come,” Ostenberg said.
Cragmor will be home to the following university offices:
Student Recruitment and Outreach, Student Employment and Financial Aid, offices of the Budget and Financial Services, Accounting, Personnel and a 40-50 person capacity orientation and welcome room that can also serve as a classroom.
CU-Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 25 bachelor’s degrees, 17 master’s and two doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls more than 7,600 students annually.
Editor’s note: Media are welcome to attend dedication ceremonies. To arrange an individual tour of the building after Jan. 21, please contact University Relations.