On Thursday, January 26th, the winds of change were evident on the 917 acre site of the future Prairie Gateway. As the wind forced its way through the tent at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Commerce City Civic Center, Martin Eiss, Associate Principal of RNL Design, the design firm responsible for the new Civic Center, announced, “You all are sitting in the lobby of the new civic center building. So if someone could please close the door, it’s real windy out there.” Attendees laughed, but it was no joke. Mother Nature wanted us to feel the swift strength of the changes occurring in Commerce City.
The new Civic Center building will be 90,000 square feet, twice the size of the current building and will be constructed on the South Campus of the Prairie Gateway. Construction is projected to be completed by Feb. 2007. During the ceremony, many council members emphasized the overcrowding in the current city building. Doors cannot be completely opened because desks are crammed into every inch of space, and meeting rooms don’t accommodate current staff sizes so that some people have to stand in the hall.
This new building was designed to have a minimal impact on the environment and to complement the natural landscape. The building will have ample natural ventilation and a sub-floor air distribution system to provide heat. Recycled materials will be used wherever possible to ease environmental intrusion.
Mayor Sean Ford offered thanks to the citizens of Commerce City for passing the bond initiative to make the new Civic Center possible.
The mayor also offered thanks to the US Army, Shell Oil, the Water District, Kroenke Sports, Tri County Health, The National Wildlife Department, DIA Partnerships, the staff, School District 14, the City of Denver, Adams County, Commerce City Council members, and Debbie Mitchell, without whose support, this project would have never been possible.
“This is not just a city process here. This is a regional process, and this is going to be good for the entire region,” proclaimed Mayor Ford.
Longtime Commerce City resident, Bobbie Crall said, “It’s just unbelievable!”
Ms. Crall is one of the citizens responsible for campaigning for this new Civic Center. Originally from Boulder, she fell in love with Commerce City. After retiring in 1982, she wasn’t as busy as she would like to be. She began driving a friend to council meetings and although she didn’t understand what was going on, she kept attending and eventually played an integral part in the development of the new Civic Center.
Representatives from the City Council, Mortensen Construction, RNL designs, the City of Commerce City, the Commerce City Police Department, School District 14, School District 27J, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were all on hand to witness the official groundbreaking.
In addition to the Civic Center, the Prairie Gateway will be home to the new Colorado Rapids Soccer Stadium, the Natural Lodge and Conference Center, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center, an Environmental Learning Center, and recreational trails through the open space.