Colorado Real Estate Journal - October 18, 2017

Neenan completes replacement of Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins high school facility

The Neenan Co., a fully integrated design-build firm based in Colorado, in partnership with Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins, announced the completion of the high school’s new facility. Named the Innovation Campus, the facility provides an additional 66,000 square feet of space for the public, tuition-free charter school – almost four times the size of the high school’s former building.

Located in the former Advanced Energy building in Fort Collins at 4424 Innovation Drive, the one-story high school includes more than 30 teaching spaces, four science labs, a farm-to-table kitchen, maker space (iNNOlab), art and music rooms, gym, bookstore, tutoring center, full health clinic, maker space project lab and 450-seat auditorium. Open study spaces are also available throughout the school to both provide a college-like atmosphere and accommodate the college programs taught in the school through Front Range Community College and Aims Community College.

CECFC also offers a strong program for students interested in trades as a career path and has invested in curriculum and training to prepare its students to earn jobs in high-demand industries throughout the state. In addition to adding construction science space for various trade education courses such as electrical, plumbing, woodworking and more, CECFC is also the only high school in Northern Colorado partnering with CareerWise Colorado to give students real-world apprenticeships.

The 91,000-square-foot facility was completed in 11 months and opened its doors to students for the start of the 2017 school year. This accelerated schedule was made possible through the The Neenan Co.’s collaborative design-build process, with the firm serving as the architect and general contractor for the project.

“The remodeled building was strategically designed with spaces encouraging educational collaboration and supporting Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins’ remarkable growth as a top school in Northern Colorado,” said Shelby Hinchliff, architect for The Neenan Co.