Aurora launches $40M renovation of Crown Plaza for regional navigation campus

The Douglas County Housing Initiative (DCHI) Executive Committee meeting on April 10, 2025, focused on significant developments in addressing homelessness in the region. The committee highlighted the progress made on the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus, a project aimed at providing comprehensive support for individuals experiencing homelessness.

In the summer of 2023, the Division of Housing awarded over $15 million to Douglas County and several other jurisdictions, including Denver and Boulder, to create this regional navigation campus. The funding is part of a collaborative effort to tackle homelessness across multiple cities, emphasizing a holistic approach rather than isolated solutions.

The committee reported that additional financial support has come from Adams County, Arapahoe County, and Douglas County itself, contributing to a total investment nearing $40 million for the purchase and renovation of the Crown Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, which will be transformed into the navigation campus. The design process, which began in the fall of 2023, aims to ensure the facility is trauma-informed, accommodating the needs of its future residents.

Renovations commenced in the last quarter, with expectations to open the facility by the end of 2025. The committee noted ongoing efforts to secure further funding for additional renovations and enhancements to the campus.

Overall, the meeting underscored the collaborative commitment among regional partners to address homelessness effectively, with the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus positioned as a critical resource in this initiative.