University of Colorado, Denver City Leaders Unveil Independence Plaza’s Future as a CU Denver, DEDO Hub for Students, Innovation, and Industry
The expanded footprint will provide additional ways CU Denver can connect students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs, researchers, employers, and community partners to drive economic growth in the region.
The University of Colorado completed the purchase of Independence Plaza on Aug. 10. The additional downtown space will strengthen the University of Colorado Denver’s role as the metro area’s anchor public urban research university, by expanding opportunities for CU Denver students and employees, research, entrepreneurship, and community collaboration that drive economic growth. Like other buildings across the university system, Independence Plaza is owned by the University of Colorado and CU Denver will direct its programming and daily operations.
The milestone brings together CU Denver and regional partners around a shared vision for strengthening downtown Denver today and powering its future. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston; Adeeb Khan, executive director of Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO; Kourtny Garrett, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP); University of Colorado Regent Nolbert Chavez; and Denver City Council member Chris Hinds joined CU Denver at today’s announcement, highlighting the collaborative effort to support education, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity across the region.
“As a public urban research university, our role has never been to simply educate. Our value lies in our ability to translate knowledge into practical applications so our students, staff, and faculty can meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s emerging needs,” said CU Denver Chancellor Kenneth T. Christensen, PhD. “Independence Plaza further positions us as a leader in Denver’s entrepreneurial and creative ecosystem while also expanding opportunities for our learners through internships, employment, and career-connected learning.”
“Having CU Denver as an education anchor helps us build a stronger workforce pipeline that retains our talent here in Denver for the next decade of growth,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “As part of our Denver Jobs Agenda, this new innovation hub brings opportunity for students and educators to not only connect and join the workforce that surrounds them in downtown, but to turn their ideas into successful startups and businesses. And with thousands of students learning, creating, and building their futures here, CU Denver will bring new energy and vitality to our city center, helping make downtown an even more vibrant place to live, work, learn, and innovate.”
Supporting Denver’s Innovation Economy
CU Denver’s partnership with regional leaders reflects a shared commitment to the broader community. A key component of that vision is the planned 30,000-square-foot regional innovation and entrepreneurship hub in Independence Plaza, which CU Denver will develop with DEDO. The hub will support startups, small businesses, and entrepreneurship within CU Denver and amongst metro Denver community members through resources, programming, and connections designed to spur job growth.
On June 24, the DDDA approved $4.5 million in support of the entrepreneurship hub project, pending Denver City Council approval.
CU Denver has long connected education, research, industry, and community as Colorado’s only public urban research university. In fiscal year 2024–25, CU Denver generated $665 million in total economic impact, including $339.6 million in labor impact, contributed $163 million in student and visitor spending, and employed approximately 2,000 people across the region.
Students at CU Denver already benefit from the university’s downtown location, urban-serving mission and collaborations with public and private industry. Independence Plaza has the potential to significantly expand that impact through future partnerships that enhance opportunities for students, strengthen collaboration with industry, and support the broader community through the economic development generated by new activity in the area.
Independence Plaza Acquisition Details
On June 22, the University of Colorado Board of Regents approved the acquisition of Independence Plaza, made possible by the University of Colorado Foundation. The deal closed on Aug. 10, 2026, for $27.95 million. The site includes the 567,287-square foot property located on 2.45-acres bordered by Curtis Street, Arapahoe Street, 16th Street, and 17th Street.
Independence Plaza includes a connected lobby, 25-story tower, Annex A (three stories), Annex B (two stories), and three levels of underground parking with 690 spaces.
Completed in 1972 through a partnership between Del E.Webb and Prudential Insurance, the building was originally known as Prudential Plaza.
Independence Plaza was acquired by the University of Colorado and will operate as an auxiliary enterprise managed and operated by CU Denver, so it will not affect campus, school, college, division, or unit-level budgets.
CU Denver’s Continued Commitment to Denver
CU Denver’s presence in downtown Denver builds on more than a century of serving the city. The university traces its roots to 1912, when the University of Colorado’s Department of Correspondence and Extension was established in Denver. Today, the university occupies more than 15 buildings across the Auraria Campus and downtown Denver, including academic, student support, research, and community spaces.
Independence Plaza reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to expanding opportunities for learners, strengthening partnerships, and contributing to the future of Denver’s innovation economy. The next phase will include launching a campus-wide space-utilization evaluation process to thoughtfully assess CU Denver’s current physical footprint, potential uses for the building, identify opportunities that advance CU Denver’s public service obligation, and support students, employees, and regional partners.
###
About CU Denver
Millions of moments start at CU Denver, a place where innovation, research, and learning meet in the heart of a global city. We’re the state’s premier public urban research university with more than 100 in-demand, top-ranked bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. We partner with diverse learners—at any stage of their life and career—for transformative educational experiences. Across seven schools and colleges, our leading faculty inspires and works alongside students to solve complex challenges and produce impactful creative work. As part of the state’s largest university system, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 2,000 employees, and an annual economic impact of $665 million. To learn more about how CU Denver helps learners meet their moment, visit cudenver.edu.
About the CU System
The University of Colorado is a premier public research university with four campuses: the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Colorado Anschutz. With more than 67,000 students, 11,554 full time faculty and 62,455 total university employees, CU is the largest institution of higher education in the state of Colorado and the state’s third largest public employer. Through an annual budget of $6.3 billion, CU generates an economic impact of $20 billion annually for the state. CU researchers attracted $1.7 billion in sponsored research funding and gifts in fiscal year 2024. CU has launched more than 330 startups. Academic prestige is marked by CU’s five Nobel laureates, 10 MacArthur “genius” Fellows, 20 astronauts and 21 Rhodes Scholars. For more information about the CU system visit www.cu.edu.