Denver Campus Unveils New Centennial Hall

After 30+ years of being shuttered and $17 million in renovations, Centennial Hall — which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — will be the new heart of Johnson & Wales University’s Denver Campus.

New Life for Historic Building
Centennial Hall, originally named Treat Hall, was built in 1886 for the Colorado Women’s College. In 2000, JWU purchased the campus in the Park Hill neighborhood, but the building remained shuttered. The structure was renamed Centennial Hall in 2014 as an homage to Colorado, the Centennial State, and Johnson & Wales University’s centennial year.

The newly renovated Centennial Hall will serve as a campus hub, and includes:

• Classrooms
• A café
• Faculty and administrative offices
• A great hall that will be used for events and double as a learning lab for students

Many of the original finishes of Centennial Hall, including the grand staircase and doors, have been preserved and/or repurposed to allow the building’s grandeur to shine and flourish.

Modern New Residence Hall
Along with the overhaul of the historic building, JWU has also invested more than $15 million to renovate Founders Hall — built in 1929 — into a modern residence hall.

Saunders Construction oversaw the Founders Hall and Centennial Hall projects, while JWU worked with Hord Coplan Macht (formerly SLATERPAULL Architects) for the buildings’ unique design features.

Celebrate with Centennial Soirées + More
The campus will celebrate this momentous occasion with two big celebrations:

JWU-Palooza
September 9, 2015
11am-3pm (Ribbon cutting: 1pm)
Ribbon-cutting ceremony and party to celebrate the grand opening of our latest buildings and to dedicate the Wildcat Statue. FREE. Open to JWU students, staff and faculty (ribbon cutting open to the public).

Centennial Soirée
October 6, 2015
6-9pm
Individual tickets: $125
Various sponsorships: Also available
Dine, drink and discover beautiful new Centennial Hall. All proceeds from this event will benefit Denver Campus students.

Historic Denver Preservation Award
This October, Historic Denver will honor Centennial Hall with its 2015 Community Preservation Award, which is presented to projects exemplifying high-quality restoration, the careful consideration of the city’s historic fabric and a commitment to the community.

“This is truly an exciting time at Johnson & Wales University and these projects demonstrate our commitment to our students, Denver and Colorado,” said Denver Campus President Robin Krakowsky.

Historic Denver executive director Annie Levinsky said she was excited to see the functionality of the new space so well-integrated with many of the historic aspects of the building.

“The amount of thought and care that went into this project is incredible, and honors the dynamic between old and new so that Centennial Hall will vibrantly thrive for another century,” said Levinsky.

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