Nine facts, food options and exciting collaborative opportunities ahead of the building opening
After an official groundbreaking in January 2019, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus community has watched as a surface parking lot was transformed into a 396,000-square-foot facility to drive the next generation of translational health science research, mental and behavioral health, education and personalized clinical care.
Now, as the Anschutz Health Sciences Building (AHSB) nears its time in the spotlight, here are nine things to know about the new, one-of-a-kind statement piece for the CU Anschutz campus.
1. Who will we find in the new building?
Intentionally designed as a collaborative, mixed-use space, the new building has a spacious, seven-story interior atrium, a data center, a large conference center, office and clinical spaces and meeting rooms and labs.
The AHSB officially opened on Dec. 27, 2021, with the first occupants moving in on Jan. 31, 2022. The rest of the AHSB’s occupants will move in through early May.
Entities that will call the AHSB home include:
- The Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM) and its associated research labs
- The Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) and its associated research labs
- The Center for Health Artificial Intelligence
- CU Innovations
- Department of Psychiatry and other mental health programs including Johnson Depression Center and National Mental Health Innovation Center
- UCHealth Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
- The Center for Advancing Professional Excellence (CAPE) simulation center
- ACCORDS & Data Science to Patient Value (D2V)
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity & Diabetes Center (LEAD)
2. What design elements went into construction?
Collaboration and an inviting atmosphere were central to the overall design of the AHSB, while its physical shape was inspired by the mountains and canyons of Colorado with a rocky, angled design. The outside includes only one 90-degree corner and none of the interior floors stack – creating a look where each floor is different from the one below it.
Academic, research, clinical care and other functions are housed together within a dedicated campus research zone, breaking down silos with the large central atrium created to serve as a connection point.
Skylights and 360-degree windows allow for more natural light throughout the building alongside interior foliage and greenery, providing a welcoming environment for big ideas to flourish.
3. How does the new building help our campus stay green?
As the first LEED Version 4.0 Gold Certified facility on campus, the AHSB is the most energy-efficient mixed-use facility on campus, with 60% energy reduction versus existing buildings.
Additionally, construction contractor JE Dunn converted the asphalt from the former parking lot the building now stands on to gravel on the building grounds – which diverted 100% of the waste asphalt from ending up in a landfill.
 The Benson Atrium in the AHSB with video wall on the right. |
4. The lowdown on food and drink options?
T-Street Kitchen, a full-service, sit-down restaurant, will encompass the southeast corner of the first floor.
Operated by Vibe Concepts, T-Street belongs to a Colorado family-owned local restaurant group with nine other restaurants in metro Denver and several mountain ski towns.
The atrium will also house a coffee and tea bar and grab-and-go eatery.
5. Where did we find those atrium plants?
Over 100 tropical plants from Florida enliven the atrium space. The abundance of south-facing natural light and constant building temperature will help the plantings thrive.
6. What kind of event spaces will be available?
The new Donald M. Elliman Conference Center is the main highlight – a nearly 4,800-square-foot space that consists of two connected rooms, capable of seating 326 people in a lecture layout or 168 for a seated dinner event. It is located at the back of the atrium, on the second floor.
Three other breakout spaces offer nearly 3,000 square feet and accommodate 200 lecture attendees or 112 seated dinner attendees.
Events in the central Benson Atrium, named for CU President Emeritus Bruce Benson and his wife, Marcy, can include up to 1,700 people – the first opportunity for larger-scale events at CU Anschutz.
7. A rooftop space will be your new favorite spot.
The southwest corner of the seventh floor features a lounge and outdoor terrace with sweeping views of downtown Denver and the entirety of the Front Range. The lounge and terrace can also be booked for events.
 View of Denver and the mountains from the seventh-floor balcony. |
8. What are some other layout facts?
Five banks of passenger elevators – along with three freight elevators – provide access to the upper floors.
The building has 46 restrooms, including 28 that are gender-neutral.
Eight lactation spaces are also available. The two on floors one and two are open to the general public and are first-come, first-served. The other six on floors three through seven can be reserved via the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement for staff, faculty and students.
9. A jumbo panorama of possibilities.
Near the main entrance to the AHSB hangs an impressive digital display – a video wall. At 68 feet long and 17 feet tall, the video wall is a sibling to jumbotrons at sports arenas. For comparison, the screen at Avalanche and Nuggets games is 48 feet long and 27 feet high, which is one of the larger scoreboards for an indoor sports arena.
The video wall features 4K high definition visuals with stunning aerial footage of CU Anschutz alongside highlights from the campus marketing campaign Possibilities Endless.
Underneath the screens is the endowed chair wall. It displays all of 135 endowed chairs on campus, including the donors and faculty who hold those chairs.
