Denver nonprofit group Commún has selected Pinkard Construction to renovate the 39,000 square foot Machebeuf Hall on the Loretto Heights campus.
The announcement came as part of a press conference celebrating the award of a $20 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, which included remarks from community members and the likes of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, Denver Councilman Kevin Flynn, and Colorado Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet.
“We came together because we knew we could do this and find a new path where we could all thrive,” said Commún co-founder Margaret Bugger in her remarks. “A large part of this is a sense of belonging, and we hope you feel that you belong when you come here. May this community center be a place where we come to share our challenges, where we bring our strengths, and where we celebrate joy.”
Slated to become Loretto Heights Community Center, the 75-year-old, two-story Machebeuf Hall renovation project will include a major retrofit of the existing mechanical system, a commercial kitchen renovation, development of a new dining hall and food bank, a coffee shop, classrooms and activity rooms for things like ESL and yoga classes, a small business incubator, a community garden, and office buildouts for various social services and community groups. Community and social services programming is expected to include childcare, a grocery store, and mental health services.
“Our entire team has been captivated by this project,” said Pinkard president, Tony Burke. “The builders in us are excited for the technical challenges ahead. The historians in us are excited to honor a beautiful piece of Colorado history by giving new life to Machebeuf Hall. And as members of this community, we are thrilled to be a part of creating this important, special space that means so much to so many.”
Interior renovations on this former cafeteria and student union building are the primary scope of work and will also include an extensive program to protect existing architectural features that include stained glass, a statue of the Virgin Mary, intricate woodwork and metalwork detailing, terrazzo tile, and vintage all-natural linoleum flooring.
Pinkard was selected following a four-phased CM/GC procurement process that included a complete, transparent 30% construction document estimate. A phased construction start is anticipated for March 2025 and will include owner-contracted abatement, an intensive discovery phase, and interior demolition. The anticipated construction budget is $27.6 million.
Pinkard will collaborate with owners' representative Collective Potential and Anderson Mason Dale Architects to finalize construction documents. This project is being designed with a large focus on sustainability, community input, and a goal of Zero Carbon Certification. The facility is also designed to operate as a disaster refuge, capable of feeding and housing people while keeping the lights on in the event of a power grid failure and maintaining indoor air quality in the event of wildfire smoke.
In addition to the newly awarded funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, funding for the project partially comes from grants from Denver’s Office of Economic Development & Opportunity and The Gates Family Foundation.
Founded in South Denver in 1891 by the Sisters of Loretto, Loretto Heights College began as Loretto Heights Academy, a Catholic elementary and secondary school for girls. The campus later evolved into a teaching college for women, then a four-year women’s college, and eventually a full, multi-program and multi-gender university.
The 72-acre Loretto Heights school campus closed in 2017 after 126 years in operation. The site is home to a series of beautiful brick structures, some marked on the National Historic Register, as well as a cemetery for the original Sisters of Loretto. These existing amenities have all been incorporated for enhancement within the new development plan, which includes the current Machebeuf Hall project.
Pinkard Construction has been building community enriching projects across Colorado’s Front Range for over 60 years. We focus on providing our clients with an exceptional construction experience by fulfilling our promise to Partner, Plan and Build Better on every project.
