I’ve been hearing for quite some time that the School of Mines has significant growth plans. In the past few years, they’ve built the new recreation center, the new Mines Park Apartments, the Wellness Center, Marv Kay stadium/Korell Athletics Center/Stermole Track & Field Complex, the Starzer Welcome Center, and the new CoorsTek Materials Science building.
I recently learned that they plan to build more residence halls and require that underclassmen live on-campus. To that end, they will be asking the Planning Commission to approve a zoning change to allow them to build a 5-story residence hall on 18th Street, between Illinois and Elm Streets. The public hearing for this request happens tonight at 6:30 in City Council Chambers.
Next week, the city will host a neighborhood meeting “To discuss a potential application seeking approval of a special use permit for more than 75% residential uses and site plan approval for a four-story 107-unit student apartment building and associated amenities including lounge areas, car and bicycle parking, and retail space located at 1750 Jackson Street.” (That’s across the street from Safeway.) That meeting will be Thursday, March 15th at 5:30PM at 1600 Jackson Street.
Tomorrow night, the School will host a neighborhood meeting to gather public input on their Master Plan. This meeting will be Thursday March 8th from 5:30-7PM at the Starzer Welcome Center, 1812 Illinois Street (map).
Golden residents are understandably uneasy about growth plans, since many feel that traffic, congestion, parking, and infill have grown beyond comfortable levels in recent years. With the March 8th public meeting on their Master Plan (and two more to follow), the School is actively soliciting public opinion. If you want them to be a good neighbor, you should attend, talk to them, and tell them about your hopes and concerns about campus growth.
