Colorado Public Radio has chosen a local architecture firm to build out its new Denver headquarters.
Semple Brown Design will be tasked with transforming the building purchased in August 2023, located at 777 Grant St. in Denver.
The 72,000-square-foot, six-story building is in the city’s historic Capitol Hill neighborhood.
“Semple Brown brings a diverse team with the right experience and a strong understanding of CPR,” said Jenny Gentry, chief operating officer of CPR, in a press release. “We appreciated their thorough and thoughtful responses to our feedback throughout this discovery stage, and we look forward to diving into the next phase of the project.”
(Photo credit: Hart Van Denburg/CPR News)
According to the release, CPR prioritized securing a Colorado-based firm for the project.
Chris Wineman, principal at Semple Brown, said in the release: “This unique project blends our experience with workplace design, cultural facility design and public event design. The more that we can support the staff members at CPR to have a highly functional and dynamic workspace, the more that they can be a catalyst for community conversations and creativity.”
Now, Semple Brown will begin the design and permitting process for the new HQ, issue a Request for Proposal for a general contractor and build on initial fundraising efforts. CPR said it expects to provide further updates, including announcements of donors for this project, when initial designs are ready later this year.
“Once complete, the CPR headquarters will be the hub of CPR’s effort to become Colorado’s home institution for news,” said the radio network. “The space will be accessible and welcoming to the community, hosting vital conversations, performances from local musicians and other live events.”
A CPR spokesperson said the current business headquarters is located at the Bridges Broadcast Center in Centennial, Co.
“It has served us well for many years, but it does not have spaces to invite the public in for events, and it is not convenient to downtown Denver,” said CPR. “In 2019, we moved our newsroom to an office in Denver so the news team would have better proximity to the seats of power. Last August, we announced we had purchased a building in Denver to become our new headquarters. Both of the current offices will be consolidated there.”
Colorado Public Radio paid $8.34 million for the building, with the entire purchase price coming from a donor. Per a December press release, CPR would like construction to start in early 2025 and expects the construction duration to be 16 to 18 months.
“Elements of the project may include a new two-story venue space for community engagement — training, speaker events, concerts and more; a café/coffee shop open to the public; broadcast and media rooms, focus spaces, collaborative spaces, etc.,” said CPR.
