Denver City Heights Residence Hall

Complete Connectivity for Student Housing

Project Highlights

Size: 182,000 sq. ft.
Year Completed: 2021
Location: Denver, CO
Type: Multifamily
Client: University of Colorado, Denver

Key Systems Integrated

Saved in Project Costs

Technology Vendors Managed

Nestled in the University of Colorado’s bustling Auraria campus in Denver, City Heights Residence Hall is the institution’s first on-campus freshmen student housing complex. The residential facility was designed to offer an engaging and vibrant communal living experience for all campus users, residents, and faculty in the 182,000-square-foot, seven-story building.

The Challenge

The university identified Aptitude, an industry leader in multi-family integration, to link the most advanced and powerful audiovisual, security, and access control systems between two wings connected by vast common areas and 276 student dorms. The positioning of the structure meant two separate land owners would need to be involved and apprised throughout the project, per city and university requirements. Adding to the complexity of the project was the strict and multifaceted access and security needs.

Aptitude paid close attention to design and construction teams’ specifications while ensuring that the University’s key stakeholders—multiple landowner reps, department heads, facilities managers, and others—were always kept in the loop. That commitment to collaboration and communication drove all key decisions, contracts, and approvals involved in developing the hall’s complete systems integration.

During pre-construction, Aptitude reviewed cost and schedule impacts resulting from changes to scope or modifications to approved designs, and utilized powerful VDC technologies and BIM software to back up findings. This provided full transparency of estimates, schedules, and designs to the project’s key stakeholders, and helped move the project along to its install phase.

Collaborative Approach

The hall’s carefully crafted cable infrastructure consisted of outside plant connections to three separate buildings and security systems capable of management in disparate control rooms spread across the hall’s two main wings. Access controls were integrated into the hall, with control units installed on every one of the 276 dorm rooms as well as various common rooms across the entirety of the hall. This was no small feat, as the control systems had to be integrated with the university’s existing system in the Auraria campus. Campus and city law enforcement were involved to ensure that security systems could keep students, visitors, and the surrounding areas as safe and secure as possible.

The Results

Aptitude succeeded in ensuring client satisfaction by maintaining budgets and schedules in the entire project cycle, from conception to completion of the full connectivity solution. The company made invaluable contributions to the University of Colorado Denver community, one that provides a home away from home for students, and gives all campus users a healthy, vibrant and supportive environment. Consistent coordination with numerous parties and ingenious integration approaches contributed to a smooth project completion, delivered under budget and on time. Thanks to Aptitude, the University of Colorado Denver could offer a completely connected campus experience for its residents, faculty, and visitors alike, in a safe, secure, and sophisticated built environment.

Learn More

Contact our Multifamily Building Experts

Contact Us