The Regency, Denver
Encyclopedia
The Regency is one of three student-housing communities for the Auraria Campus
in downtown Denver, Colorado
. Formerly the Regency Hotel
, the building is privately owned by local investor and proprietor V. Robert Salazar (owner of Regency Realty Investors LLC), who bought the building in 2004.
Located two miles from the Auraria Campus, just off Interstate 25 and Park Avenue West, The Regency is Auraria’s first student housing community (the others being Inn at Auraria and the Campus Village Apartments). Both graduate and undergraduate students of Metropolitan State College of Denver
, Community College of Denver
, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
and University of Colorado Denver
are eligible for housing at The Regency.
The Regency Hotel was a hotel
in Denver, Colorado
. Built in the 1960s to serve as a regional convention center
, it was famous locally for its large gold dome and the luxury of the rooms within. A lack of business pushed the Regency into neglect and it became known as a dangerous and unclean location. The former hotel is now The Regency: Student Housing Community
.
"The Regency once rated four stars in travel guides. Denver developers Victor and Martin Lederman were its first owners, having built the hotel's original tower and lobby complex in 1969 at a cost of $4 million. There were 180 guest rooms in the tower, and two lounges, two dining rooms and a coffee shop on the first floor. The hotel was successful, and in 1973, the Ledermans hired local architect Richard L. DeGette to design a $5.5 million expansion. It added 230 rooms, an outdoor pool, a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) ballroom with two-story-high ceilings, a conference center and a 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) exhibit hall beneath a massive golden dome. The Regency was then one of the few luxury hotels of its size in America to be independently owned. In addition to Elvis, President Gerald Ford and Olympics track-and-field star Jesse Owens stayed there when they came to town. It was a popular spot for weddings, black-tie fundraisers and high school proms.
Transients
regularly occupied rooms, the hotel becoming a substitute for low-income housing. Residents were forced to move in April 2004 when a district court declared the building an extreme fire hazard. The owner, citing financial difficulty, failed to comply with the updates and renovations required by state building codes. The ruling displaced approximately 110 residents, the majority receiving temporary relocation assistance from the Denver Department of Human Services.
In 2005, a private developer purchased the Regency Hotel. Seeking to create a student housing facility for the nearby Auraria Campus
, he ordered a series of renovations. After substantial investment, the building now offers housing to 700 students.
According to a Regency press release, Williams Construction Corporation began renovation of The Regency in early 2005. In order to make the hotel habitable again they had to update the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and life safety systems. These life safety systems are still not up to date on human life safety. They also installed new windows and replaced the building’s roof among other tasks.
During construction, the building’s golden-domed rotunda caught fire. Fortunately, no one was harmed and there were no delays to the construction schedule.
Each room is also furnished with a bed, a dresser, a desk and a chair per person. Unlike most college dorms, rooms also have their own private bathroom and climate control since The Regency was a former hotel.
Denver Dining runs the community’s convenience store and all-you-can-eat dining hall. The Meal plans are mandatory every semester, except summer, as the dining hall is closed at the end of the spring semester and re-opens at the beginning of the fall semester.
Along with free parking and bike racks, the community can take advantage of a free bus shuttle that drives students to and from the Auraria Campus every weekday during the spring and fall semesters.
--Security cameras within the interior and exterior of the building
--Gated community
--Key card access only
--24 hour Community Assistant on duty
--On-site management staff
--On-site maintenance staff
Auraria Campus
Auraria Campus is an educational facility located near downtown Denver, Colorado in the United States. The campus houses facilities of three separate universities and colleges: the University of Colorado Denver , Community College of Denver, and Metropolitan State College of Denver...
in downtown Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Formerly the Regency Hotel
Regency Hotel
Regency Hotel may refer to many hotels:* Regency Hotel , Colorado, USA*Regency Hotel , Tunisia...
, the building is privately owned by local investor and proprietor V. Robert Salazar (owner of Regency Realty Investors LLC), who bought the building in 2004.
Located two miles from the Auraria Campus, just off Interstate 25 and Park Avenue West, The Regency is Auraria’s first student housing community (the others being Inn at Auraria and the Campus Village Apartments). Both graduate and undergraduate students of Metropolitan State College of Denver
Metropolitan State College of Denver
The Metropolitan State College of Denver is a four-year college and now offers certain Graduate programs located in Denver, Colorado, United States. As of 2009, Metro State had the second-largest enrollment of undergraduates of any college in Colorado...
, Community College of Denver
Community College of Denver
Community College of Denver is a community college located in Denver, Colorado, United States. The main campus is at Auraria Campus, and it has two other locations in the Denver metropolitan area. CCD focuses on underserved, first-generation and minority students...
, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
The Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design is in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver, Colorado, USA. The college was founded in 1963 by Philip J...
and University of Colorado Denver
University of Colorado Denver
The University of Colorado Denver, shortened as CU Denver, UC Denver, or UCD, is a public university in the United States state of Colorado. It is one of three schools of the University of Colorado system. The university has two campuses — one in downtown Denver at the Auraria Campus, and the other...
are eligible for housing at The Regency.
History
The designers of the community were Architectural Workshop. For their work at The Regency they won several awards such as the 2005 Hard Hat Award as well as received Honorable Mention for Renovation Design in the 2006 ASID Awards.The Regency Hotel was a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Built in the 1960s to serve as a regional convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
, it was famous locally for its large gold dome and the luxury of the rooms within. A lack of business pushed the Regency into neglect and it became known as a dangerous and unclean location. The former hotel is now The Regency: Student Housing Community
The Regency, Denver
The Regency is one of three student-housing communities for the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver, Colorado. Formerly the Regency Hotel, the building is privately owned by local investor and proprietor V...
.
"The Regency once rated four stars in travel guides. Denver developers Victor and Martin Lederman were its first owners, having built the hotel's original tower and lobby complex in 1969 at a cost of $4 million. There were 180 guest rooms in the tower, and two lounges, two dining rooms and a coffee shop on the first floor. The hotel was successful, and in 1973, the Ledermans hired local architect Richard L. DeGette to design a $5.5 million expansion. It added 230 rooms, an outdoor pool, a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) ballroom with two-story-high ceilings, a conference center and a 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) exhibit hall beneath a massive golden dome. The Regency was then one of the few luxury hotels of its size in America to be independently owned. In addition to Elvis, President Gerald Ford and Olympics track-and-field star Jesse Owens stayed there when they came to town. It was a popular spot for weddings, black-tie fundraisers and high school proms.
Transients
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
regularly occupied rooms, the hotel becoming a substitute for low-income housing. Residents were forced to move in April 2004 when a district court declared the building an extreme fire hazard. The owner, citing financial difficulty, failed to comply with the updates and renovations required by state building codes. The ruling displaced approximately 110 residents, the majority receiving temporary relocation assistance from the Denver Department of Human Services.
In 2005, a private developer purchased the Regency Hotel. Seeking to create a student housing facility for the nearby Auraria Campus
Auraria Campus
Auraria Campus is an educational facility located near downtown Denver, Colorado in the United States. The campus houses facilities of three separate universities and colleges: the University of Colorado Denver , Community College of Denver, and Metropolitan State College of Denver...
, he ordered a series of renovations. After substantial investment, the building now offers housing to 700 students.
According to a Regency press release, Williams Construction Corporation began renovation of The Regency in early 2005. In order to make the hotel habitable again they had to update the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and life safety systems. These life safety systems are still not up to date on human life safety. They also installed new windows and replaced the building’s roof among other tasks.
During construction, the building’s golden-domed rotunda caught fire. Fortunately, no one was harmed and there were no delays to the construction schedule.
The Community
The first students moved into The Regency on September 1, 2005 as minor renovation was still being completed inside the main tower.Floor Plans and Rates
There are four rooming options for students. They include a single unit ($650–675 per month), a Double unit ($495–$520 per month), a Triple unit ($450–$475 per month), and a two-bedroom unit ($670–$750 per month).Bedroom Amenities
A resident’s monthly rent includes the payment of basic cable television, high-speed Internet access, local telephone service and utilities.Each room is also furnished with a bed, a dresser, a desk and a chair per person. Unlike most college dorms, rooms also have their own private bathroom and climate control since The Regency was a former hotel.
Community Amenities
Located around The Regency are numerous services for the residents, including laundry facilities, a fitness center and weight room, a swimming pool, two indoor basketball courts, four pool tables, a computer lab, an ATM and a big-screen amphitheater. There are also several flat-screen televisions located throughout the community as well as vending machines on every other habitable floor.Along with free parking and bike racks, the community can take advantage of a free bus shuttle that drives students to and from the Auraria Campus every weekday during the spring and fall semesters.
Security
The safety and security of the residents of The Regency is very important. The community has the following:--Security cameras within the interior and exterior of the building
--Gated community
--Key card access only
--24 hour Community Assistant on duty
--On-site management staff
--On-site maintenance staff
External links
- www.regencystudenthousing.com The Regency
- www.ahec.edu Auraria Campus
- www.mscd.edu Metropolitan State College of Denver
- www.ccd.edu Community College of Denver
- www.cudenver.edu University of Colorado at Denver
- www.rmcad.edu Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
- www.theinnatauraria.com The Inn at Auraria