In the summer of 2021, The Johnson & Wales University campus in East Denver, Colorado ceased operations.
In the place of the college, stakeholders said, the property would be transformed into “a hub for education, economic development, and affordable housing.”
Through a partnership with the Urban Land Conservancy, Denver Public Schools, and Denver Housing Authority, the affordable housing efforts are finally in full swing.
The former campus has now been transformed into one of the city’s newest affordable housing complexes: The Mosaic Community Campus.
The campus consists of 154 apartments across four former dorm buildings and offers a combination of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments.
All apartments are reserved for individuals that fall within the range of 30-60% of the Area Median Income.
“This is really a flagship project for Archway Communities,” Laura Brudzynski, CEO of Archway Communities, the nonprofit developer of the new housing project, told 9News.
“It’s a unique opportunity to preserve existing historic structures and adapt them to meet today’s urgent need for affordable housing.”
A 2023 report from the Common Sense Institute of Colorado found that Denver faces a significant affordable housing shortage, with estimates suggesting a deficit of tens of thousands of units.
This new project could be a blueprint for solutions to come.
The Mosaic Community Campus’s buildings, built in 1909, were first home to Colorado Women’s College, before they were sold to Johnson & Wales. It was the first women-only educational institution in Colorado.
Because of the historic nature of both the architecture and the institution, the property has been supported by $11 million in state and federal historic tax credits, according to reporting from 9News.
Opting for adaptive reuse instead of demolishing the historic sites, developers were able to convert the existing structures into homes instead of starting from scratch.
“It can be more cost effective to preserve an existing structure,” Brudzynski added to 9News, “to utilize the bones of the building.”
But now, the property is more than just a skeleton.
The campus maintains a central quad, community kitchens, and two different school systems — a Denver School of the Arts expansion and a K-8 Episcopal school that offers sliding scale tuition.
There are also job training opportunities, including DIRT Coffee Bar, a cafe that trains and hires employees with developmental disabilities.
“I never thought I would ever be able to do something like this,” Aaron Miripol, president and CEO of the Urban Land Conservancy, the nonprofit that purchased the land, told The Denver Post in 2024.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
By using a community land trust model, Urban Land Conservancy partners with other organizations to rent or purchase the land and its buildings at a deep discount.
One such partner is Kitchen Network, a culinary incubator that provides education and job opportunities — as well as food. Workers in the facility can “live and work on the same campus,” director Jorge de la Torre told The Denver Post.
“We’re going to bring some affordable housing to people that might not have the ability to live in Denver,” he added.
It’s clear that the campus does not just offer an affordable place to stay — but a full and emerging community, proving that these concepts can coexist.
“Mosaic Community Campus offers an array of services aimed at community development,” the Archway website continues.
“A central quad, disc golf course, and amphitheater are just a few of the amenities in the community.”
While the 154-unit housing complex only recently opened to tenants, it has already filled 150 vacant units. With high demand — and high aspirations — the space promises a long and impactful legacy.
“We have found a great partner in Archway Communities to preserve these beautiful buildings for a community beneficial use and provide much needed affordable housing,” Aaron Martinez, Urban Land Conservancy’s COO, said in a statement.
“The land that the dorms are located on will be held in a renewable 99-year ground lease by ULC to ensure its use for community benefit in perpetuity.”
Header image courtesy of Archway Communities
