Denver Federal Center
Encyclopedia
Denver Federal Center is located in Lakewood, Colorado
and is the home to about 6,200 employees for many Federal government of the United States
agencies. The Denver Federal Center encompasses an area of about 670 acres (2.7 km²) and has 90 buildings comprising over 4000000 square feet (371,612.2 m²) of office, warehouse, lab and special use space. There are 26 different Federal agencies on-site, making it the largest concentration of Federal agencies outside of Washington, D.C.
The major employers at the Denver Federal Center include the United States Department of the Interior
(and its Bureau of Land Management
, Bureau of Reclamation, and United States Geological Survey
) and the General Services Administration
, Special facilities at the Denver Federal Center include the National Ice Core Laboratory
.
, Colorado
pioneer and judge, purchased the land in the late 1860s and developed it into a ranch, raising Arabian horse
s. Downing played a role in settling the West
. He introduced new agriculture and wildlife, and helped lay the foundations for the city of Denver.
Thomas S. Hayden, a prominent Denver resident, purchased the Downing estate in 1913. He expanded it into a 20,000 acre (80 km²) cattle ranch.
) plant, to be named Denver Ordnance. The site was chosen for its rural setting; because it was far from the nation's borders, it was presumed safer than coastal areas from enemy sabotage
or attack. In late January 1941, the War Department
signed a contract with the Remington Arms Company to produce small arms ammunition. Construction of the Plant started in early March, 1941. Rapidly, the Government built over 200 buildings for the new Denver Ordnance complex, and ammunition production commenced in late September, 1941. Denver Ordnance soon became known for the high quality and accuracy of its ammunition, particularly its lots of .30-06 Springfield
rifle ammunition known as M2 Ball, which were highly prized by snipers and other rifle marksmen in the U.S. Army. At the height of production in 1943, the Denver Ordnance Plant was the 4th largest “city” in Colorado with a workforce “population” of more than 22,000. These employees worked day and night, producing over six million cartridges a day.
ended, ammunition production ended and the Denver Ordnance Plant became federal surplus property. A portion of the Ordnance Plant facility was converted into office, warehouse, and laboratory space for several federal agencies. This smaller facility was given a new name: the Denver Federal Center.The Federal Center is bounded on the north by Sixth Avenue (U.S. Route 6), on the East by Kipling Street, and on the South by Alameda Avenue. The western boundary of the Federal Center is just east of Union Blvd.
Building 810, in the southwest corner of the Federal Center was once the largest warehouse west of the Mississippi River and in 1965 was state-of-the-art and fully automated. It contained all the supplies needed to service all government facilities for the General Services Administration (GSA). Today, Building 810 is the home of several operations for the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS), including the distribution facility for all the USGS topographic maps and publications and the storage facilities for all geologic and ice core samples drilled from around of the world.
Building 710 is an underground bunker complex designed to withstand a nuclear blast. The building was constructed by Army Corps of Engineers and completed in 1969 and has a total space of 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²). It was intended as a base for federal operations during a nuclear attack and was designed to house 300 people for up to 30 days in the event of a nuclear war. On August 2, 2000 the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
. It was chosen for its connection to Cold War
history and its architectural significance. Today Building 710 houses the Region VIII Office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
.
Sites CO6470000039 and CO1680090031. As a consequence of the materials disposal, the EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have considered these areas to be significantly contaminated by hazardous waste. Excessive levels of chemicals were found in the debris, soil, ground water and surface water. Asbestos-containing materials were found as well.
During the 1980s, a chlorinated solvent leak emanated from an underground storage tank near Building 52. At the time, the hazardous material was managed by the United States Department of Transportation
. The storage tank contained 1,1,1-trichloroethane
(TCA), used to dissolve asphalt samples for testing. The leak caused a large groundwater solvent plume to spread beyond the DFC's eastern boundary and contaminate neighboring wells. To mitigate groundwater contamination by the chlorinated solvents, in 1996 the U.S. Geological Survey served as an advisor to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the construction of in-ground permeable reactive barriers. The permeable reactive barriers neutralize the solvents in the ground water. The groundwater is chemically altered as it passes through the barriers made with zero-valence iron.
TCE and dichlorethene are found in concentrations of higher than 200 parts per billion as they enter the barriers and measure less than one part per billion as the groundwater exits the barriers.
In 2006 the USGS notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) of a leak from a water storage tank containing radioactive water and equipment. The impacted tank is used for equipment storage and not reactor operations. An estimated 575 gallons of water leaked into the ground, although USGS officials claimed there was no evidence of contamination measured at a nearby groundwater monitoring well at that time. The USGS has operated the non-power nuclear reactor since 1969.
The western edge of the property has been identified as the future location of a major Regional Transportation District
(RTD) intermodal transit facility and Park-n-Ride for light rail and bus service, with light rail expected to come on-line by 2013.
On July 9, 2007 the Lakewood City Council voted to annex, zone and vest the Denver Federal Center. Lakewood City Manager signed an offer to purchase 65 acres on the west side of the Denver Federal Center for $25 million. The purchase price would be reimbursed to the city through the sale of land to St. Anthony's Hospital and the Regional Transportation District (RTD).
On August 3, 2007 the The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Rocky Mountain Region awarded contract worth a $6.9 million to SunEdison for designing and constructing a solar park at the Denver Federal Center. The one megawatt photovoltaic system will generate nearly 10 percent of the Denver Federal Center's peak electricity demand. The system is scheduled to be completed by the middle of December 2007.
Lakewood, Colorado
Lakewood is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Lakewood is the fifth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 172nd most populous city in the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in April 1, 2010...
and is the home to about 6,200 employees for many Federal government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
agencies. The Denver Federal Center encompasses an area of about 670 acres (2.7 km²) and has 90 buildings comprising over 4000000 square feet (371,612.2 m²) of office, warehouse, lab and special use space. There are 26 different Federal agencies on-site, making it the largest concentration of Federal agencies outside of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The major employers at the Denver Federal Center include the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
(and its Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, Bureau of Reclamation, and United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
) and the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
, Special facilities at the Denver Federal Center include the National Ice Core Laboratory
National Ice Core Laboratory
The National Ice Core Laboratory located at the Denver Federal Center is the primary repository for ice cores collected by the United States. The facility is managed by the United States Geological Survey , and jointly funded by the USGS, National Science Foundation, and the University of New...
.
Early settlement
Major Jacob DowningJacob Downing
Jacob Downing was a Major in the Union Army and a subordinate of Colonel John Chivington.In April 1864, Downing came upon a band of Cheyennes camped near Cedar Bluffs, 60 miles above the South Platte. Although he only suspected them of stealing cattle and horses, Downing launched an attack that...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
pioneer and judge, purchased the land in the late 1860s and developed it into a ranch, raising Arabian horse
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
s. Downing played a role in settling the West
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. He introduced new agriculture and wildlife, and helped lay the foundations for the city of Denver.
Thomas S. Hayden, a prominent Denver resident, purchased the Downing estate in 1913. He expanded it into a 20,000 acre (80 km²) cattle ranch.
World War II
The federal government purchased 2040.207 acres (8.3 km²) from the Hayden family in December 1940 for the purpose of building an ordnance (ammunitionAmmunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
) plant, to be named Denver Ordnance. The site was chosen for its rural setting; because it was far from the nation's borders, it was presumed safer than coastal areas from enemy sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
or attack. In late January 1941, the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
signed a contract with the Remington Arms Company to produce small arms ammunition. Construction of the Plant started in early March, 1941. Rapidly, the Government built over 200 buildings for the new Denver Ordnance complex, and ammunition production commenced in late September, 1941. Denver Ordnance soon became known for the high quality and accuracy of its ammunition, particularly its lots of .30-06 Springfield
.30-06 Springfield
The .30-06 Springfield cartridge or 7.62×63mm in metric notation, was introduced to the United States Army in 1906 and standardized, and was in use until the 1960s and early 1970s. It replaced the .30-03, 6 mm Lee Navy, and .30 US Army...
rifle ammunition known as M2 Ball, which were highly prized by snipers and other rifle marksmen in the U.S. Army. At the height of production in 1943, the Denver Ordnance Plant was the 4th largest “city” in Colorado with a workforce “population” of more than 22,000. These employees worked day and night, producing over six million cartridges a day.
Cold War
When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, ammunition production ended and the Denver Ordnance Plant became federal surplus property. A portion of the Ordnance Plant facility was converted into office, warehouse, and laboratory space for several federal agencies. This smaller facility was given a new name: the Denver Federal Center.The Federal Center is bounded on the north by Sixth Avenue (U.S. Route 6), on the East by Kipling Street, and on the South by Alameda Avenue. The western boundary of the Federal Center is just east of Union Blvd.
Building 810, in the southwest corner of the Federal Center was once the largest warehouse west of the Mississippi River and in 1965 was state-of-the-art and fully automated. It contained all the supplies needed to service all government facilities for the General Services Administration (GSA). Today, Building 810 is the home of several operations for the U.S. Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
(USGS), including the distribution facility for all the USGS topographic maps and publications and the storage facilities for all geologic and ice core samples drilled from around of the world.
Building 710 is an underground bunker complex designed to withstand a nuclear blast. The building was constructed by Army Corps of Engineers and completed in 1969 and has a total space of 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²). It was intended as a base for federal operations during a nuclear attack and was designed to house 300 people for up to 30 days in the event of a nuclear war. On August 2, 2000 the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It was chosen for its connection to Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
history and its architectural significance. Today Building 710 houses the Region VIII Office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
.
Environment
After the closure of the Denver Ordnance Plant, the GSA and other agencies disposed of miscellaneous wastes, including chemicals, contaminated material, and building and road demolition debris. The waste was disposed in multiple sites throughout the Denver Federal Center, primarily in the Southwest and Northwest landfills, and the former United States Environmental Protection Agency SuperfundSuperfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
Sites CO6470000039 and CO1680090031. As a consequence of the materials disposal, the EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have considered these areas to be significantly contaminated by hazardous waste. Excessive levels of chemicals were found in the debris, soil, ground water and surface water. Asbestos-containing materials were found as well.
During the 1980s, a chlorinated solvent leak emanated from an underground storage tank near Building 52. At the time, the hazardous material was managed by the United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
. The storage tank contained 1,1,1-trichloroethane
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
The organic compound 1,1,1-trichloroethane, also known as methyl chloroform, is a chloroalkane. This colourless, sweet-smelling liquid was once produced industrially in large quantities for use as a solvent...
(TCA), used to dissolve asphalt samples for testing. The leak caused a large groundwater solvent plume to spread beyond the DFC's eastern boundary and contaminate neighboring wells. To mitigate groundwater contamination by the chlorinated solvents, in 1996 the U.S. Geological Survey served as an advisor to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the construction of in-ground permeable reactive barriers. The permeable reactive barriers neutralize the solvents in the ground water. The groundwater is chemically altered as it passes through the barriers made with zero-valence iron.
TCE and dichlorethene are found in concentrations of higher than 200 parts per billion as they enter the barriers and measure less than one part per billion as the groundwater exits the barriers.
In 2006 the USGS notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
(NRC) of a leak from a water storage tank containing radioactive water and equipment. The impacted tank is used for equipment storage and not reactor operations. An estimated 575 gallons of water leaked into the ground, although USGS officials claimed there was no evidence of contamination measured at a nearby groundwater monitoring well at that time. The USGS has operated the non-power nuclear reactor since 1969.
Plans
The Denver Federal Center is the future home of St. Anthony Central Hospital. This development is the first private project to be housed at the Denver Federal Center.The western edge of the property has been identified as the future location of a major Regional Transportation District
Regional Transportation District
The Regional Transportation District, or RTD, was organized in 1969 and is the regional authority operating public transit services in eight of the twelve counties in the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area in Colorado. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of...
(RTD) intermodal transit facility and Park-n-Ride for light rail and bus service, with light rail expected to come on-line by 2013.
On July 9, 2007 the Lakewood City Council voted to annex, zone and vest the Denver Federal Center. Lakewood City Manager signed an offer to purchase 65 acres on the west side of the Denver Federal Center for $25 million. The purchase price would be reimbursed to the city through the sale of land to St. Anthony's Hospital and the Regional Transportation District (RTD).
On August 3, 2007 the The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Rocky Mountain Region awarded contract worth a $6.9 million to SunEdison for designing and constructing a solar park at the Denver Federal Center. The one megawatt photovoltaic system will generate nearly 10 percent of the Denver Federal Center's peak electricity demand. The system is scheduled to be completed by the middle of December 2007.