Capital Development Committee backs $7.5 million supplemental for Community College of Denver’s Boulder Creek renovation

The Capital Development Committee voted 5-0 on a motion to recommend support for a supplemental request from the Community College of Denver to add $7,500,000 in college cash funds for the Boulder Creek renovation and extend the project completion date to Dec. 30, 2026, contingent on approval by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting.

The request, presented by Alberto Teixeira, vice president of business operations and chief financial officer at the Community College of Denver, covers the final phase of a long-running renovation he said began in 2017 and has expanded in scope. “This morning, we're requesting the committee's approval to add $7,500,000 of additional funding to the Boulder Creek project,” Teixeira said, adding that the college is already under initial abatement and expects construction to finish in 2026 with students moving in for 2027 classes.

The supplemental is prompted by recent cost increases and unanticipated findings discovered during renovation work. Teixeira told the committee the funds come from the college’s capital reserves—money accumulated over time when the institution’s annual budget is not fully spent—and said the college currently holds a little more than $20,000,000 in those reserves. He described the Boulder Creek work as creating a health center of excellence to expand cohorts for nursing, veterinary technician, radiology technician and dental hygiene programs.

Committee members asked how the money relates to state funding and the college budget. Teixeira said the college’s $63,000,000 operating budget comprises multiple revenue sources—about half from student tuition, roughly 30% from College Opportunity Fund payments and the remainder from fee-for-service revenues—and that the supplemental is not a general fund appropriation. Representative Perrone pressed for clarification on the source; Teixeira said the spending request is for the institution’s cash funds and capital reserves.

Senator Mulligan moved to recommend support for the supplemental spending authority, including the $7.5 million addition and the extension to Dec. 30, 2026, and noted the committee's recommendation is contingent on approval by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting. The motion passed on a roll call: Representative Barron — yes; Representative Lindsey — yes; Senator Pelton (substitute) — yes; Senator Malika — yes; Madam Chair of the Capital Development Committee — yes. The committee clerk recorded the recommendation as passing 5 to 0.

The committee’s action is a recommendation; the project still requires the identified agency approvals before the college can expend the additional cash funds. Committee members and college staff said they expect to continue coordination with the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting as the next steps.