As the tallest mass-timber structure in the state, the MSU Denver Summit House will also be a showcase for the design and construction advantages of this highly renewable building material. Photo Credit: SAR+ Architects听
By Lindsey Coulter
Construction听recently topped out听on听Metropolitan State University of Denver’s听(MSU Denver)听Summit House, a 12-story student housing development that marks the university’s first on-campus residence hall in its 60-year history. Scheduled for completion in听summer听2027, the approximately $118听million mixed-use development will provide听more than听550 student beds, dining and retail space, and a permanent home for the university’s Classroom to Career Hub.听听
Located on the Auraria Campus听(also shared with the Community College of Denver and University of Colorado, Denver) and听across from Ball Arena听(home to the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche sports teams), the project expands affordable housing while听demonstrating听how mass timber construction can accelerate project delivery and enhance the student experience.
Making a听Mass Timber听Statement
When complete,听Summit House听will be the tallest structure on the downtown-adjacent听tri-institutional听campus. As the tallest mass-timber structure in the state, it will also be听a听showcase听for听the听design and construction听advantages of听this highly renewable building material.
Ryan Marshall, Superintendent for听project builder听PCL Construction, noted that the听thoughtful use of mass timber听helped accelerate construction, as many听components could be听fabricated听off site听down to听a听1/16-inch听tolerance.听By maximizing panel sizes, the design听requires approximately 25 cross-laminated timber panels per residential floor, with the two podium levels composed of concrete.听
听“I’ve got to tip my hat to our architect and structural designer,听because this project was听really听designed around maximizing the capabilities听and efficiencies听of mass timber,” Marshall said.听“”The width of the structure on the dormitory floors is 60 feet,听which is听the longest听[cross-laminated timber]听panel you can feasibly ship without it being an astronomical cost.听In turn,听that makes for a quick install,听because it goes faster and you’re covering more area.”听
While prefabrication speeds construction, it听also听required听significantly more coordination听with听supplier听Mercer Mass Timber听during design.听
“Every penetration in the whole building had to be dialed in,” said听Macy Huffaker, Project Architect with designer SAR+ Architects. “Every light fixture, every shaft, every dimension that they were making out of mass timber had to be locked in a lot earlier than听it听would on something that’s听site built.”听听
Martha Nelson, Director of Planning, Design and听Construction for MSU Denver, noted that mass timber was听a good choice听for helping meet the project鈥檚听timeline and听sustainability听goals, but also for enhancing student experience, campus identity, market听differentiation听and long-term institutional value.听听
“The most important decision wasn’t choosing mass timber; it was understanding how student housing could advance MSU Denver鈥檚 mission to provide a high-quality, accessible and enriching education. Mass timber became one of the ways we delivered on those institutional goals in a sustainable and cost-effective way,鈥� Nelson said.
“There’s plenty of data showing that students who live on campus perform better academically and stay enrolled at higher rates than those who commute,” added Ben Diaz听Senior Development Manager with听Columbia Ventures, which serves as the project鈥檚听developer.听“We’re proud to bring students for a true on-campus college experience, and we hope this project is the first of many听鈥斕齢elping shift the Auraria campus from a commuter campus to an active, live-in community that blurs the line between downtown and the university.鈥�听听
Solving Urban Construction听Challenges
While mass timber and early collaboration听helped听accelerate the building鈥檚 timeline, constructing听a large-scale听residence hall听just听off听downtown Denver听required听careful logistical planning.
“One thing that was definitely a concern when I got the project was听figuring听out if a 60-foot panel could make its way into downtown Denver,” Marshall said. “Just making turns and pulling in can be a challenge.”
Getting all materials to the project site required a significant level of planning, including run-throughs with 60-foot semis and coordination with trucking companies that understood the limitations of oversized loads. The team also head to adhere to curfews enforced within the city limits, which prevented deliveries during rush-hour traffic periods.
Delivering Through Partnership
Innovation and creative problem solving was a theme for the project even down to the funding mechanisms. Columbia Ventures, which serves as the project鈥檚 developer, partnered with the Auraria Higher Education Center and MSU Denver on this public-private partnership (P3) structure, which leveraged Auraria’s unique P3 statutory authority that helped accelerate project delivery.听听
“From a P3 perspective, we could move at a pace and cost structure that’s hard to achieve through traditional public procurement,鈥� said Diaz. 鈥淭hat let us release work quicker and often at a more competitive negotiated rate.鈥�听
This strategy was one reason the project was able to move听from concept to groundbreaking in听just听eight months, which Diaz said is notable for a P3 project听with multiple stakeholders听and goals听happening听on such a dynamic campus.听听
“Part of our success听here was MSU Denver’s commitment听to听the project,鈥� Diaz said.听鈥淲e would not have been able to make it听at听that pace without their support in this execution methodology.”
Read more about the project in the Design & Construction issue of 糖心少女, available now.