CSU breaks ground on Denver 'Spur' campus

Colorado State University broke ground on its Denver campus on Tuesday, kicking off construction of three educational buildings scheduled to open in 2022 as part of the National Western Center redesign.

The first building on the Spur campus will be 114,000 square feet and will focus on animal and human health. Named “Vida,” it will include an equine center, a clinic for companion animals in conjunction with the Dumb Friends League, and will educate CSU’s veterinary students.

Although the groundbreaking was originally scheduled for April 30, the pandemic will not halt construction. Work on the water and the food and agriculture buildings will begin in October. The state legislature appropriated $200 million for the buildings in 2015. That same year, Denver voters approved measure 2C to provide up to $476 million for renovating the National Western complex. The vision includes the Spur campus as well as improvements along the South Platte River.

“The coronavirus pandemic underscores the importance of understanding connections between food and health,” said Tom Vilsack, an advisor for the project and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. “Spur will grow our appreciation for all those involved in our agricultural and food industry and will help develop sustainable systems that can adapt to challenging disruptions.”