Colorado Real Estate Journal - September 21, 2016
Stargate, a new $51 million charter school located on a 43-acre campus and part of a 70-acre mixed-use development in Thornton, recently opened. Stargate is the largest charter school project in Colorado, the largest gifted school in the state and the second largest charter school project to be completed in the nation. The school, which serves gifted children kindergarten through high school, is part of a mixed-use development in Thornton, in which 5 acres of retail space and/or commercial support property is planned adjacent to the educational facility. The mixed-use nature of the development is part of a public-private partnership between Stargate School, the city of Thornton, the landowner, investors and the design/construction team. Stargate is chartered by Adams 12 Five Star School District and located at 14530 Washington St. in Thornton. The new campus includes two academic buildings, a field house and amphitheater – all designed by Denver-based Hord Coplan Macht to cater to the gifted and talented student population. The site design incorporates a quad-style campus, and each academic building includes breakout spaces and a learning commons/makerspace for kids to pursue “passion projects.” “The campus design and the variety of learning spaces we created reflects the innovative educational vision of the school leadership and board members that we worked with from the beginning. They were an inspiration to the design team,” said Adele Willson, principal of Hord Coplan Macht. Inline Management is the owner’s representative on the project.