Regency Hotel To Get New Life As First Auraria

Regency Hotel To Get New Life As First Auraria "Dorm"

By:  Andrew Resnik, 9NEWS Reporter

For the 200,000 or so drivers who pass the Regency Hotel every day, it may come as a surprise to know it was once a posh address. Built in the early 60's, the Regency stood for luxury in north Denver.

That was a long time ago. Over the years, the old hotel became increasingly neglected, the target of vandals, and the destination for people who often had no place else to go. In April, the city ordered all residents out and boarded up the hotel, citing numerous fire code violations.

That did not deter V. Robert Salazar, a Denver real estate developer. He bought the property over the summer, believing it held a great deal of opportunity. Salazar now plans to turn the Regency into housing for students at the Auraria Campus, which includes CU-Denver, Metro State, and Community College of Denver. "As we all know, there is a substantial need for student housing in the Denver downtown area to accommodate students attending Auraria Campus," Salazar said in a statement.

The new housing would feature quads, doubles, and singles. It would also contain a cafeteria, a modern gymnasium, a resort style swimming pool and a sports bar.

Beyond all the bells and whistles, it would be a central gathering place for students, the first student housing for a commuter campus of more than 30,000 people. "You join in, you make friends, you develop relationships, that's what's going to happen at these dorms that we currently don't have happening now," said Bill Simmons, a CU-Denver student and a member of the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board (SACAB).

Simmons believes beyond the social benefits, the new housing would help increase the prestige of the Auraria Campus and improve student retention rates. Leah Malone, a fellow CU-Denver student and SACAB member, agrees. "Not only would it build community, but it would also build a reputation for the Auraria Campus in each institution. Students would grab up the dorms immediately," she said.

The renovation plans are ambitious. Salazar hopes to have the housing ready by fall semester 2005. Plans also call for a shuttle bus, and a bike path connecting the housing with the campus. With 600 units, the former regency would only house a tiny minority of the student population. But students say it's a start, and would be a great benefit to the students who take up residence there.

Some hurdles still remain. "Of course we will need the cooperation of the City of Denver to accomplish this time frame," said Salazar. But if events go as planned, the old hotel at 38th Avenue near I-25 could once again be a fashionable Denver address.

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