BLOSSOM HOUSE
Over the last several years, Lifespan Local has been deeply listening to resident community leaders and neighbors in Southwest Denver about what would make the Westwood neighborhood stronger and more resilient. The answer that they kept hearing was that “we need a place.”
Guided by the community-driven process that Dr. Lydia Prado undertook at Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being, Lifespan Local has replicated the framework of deep community listening in Southwest Denver to ensure that what is built in Westwood is truly aligned with what the community has advocated for.
In February of 2021, Lifespan Local purchased the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Southwest Denver one block south of Alameda Avenue on Irving Street. The renovation of Westwood Redeemer is underway and Lifespan Local is very excited to welcome the community to the center in late summer 2024.
Collective Potential Services Provided
Architectural Services *
Teen Center Community Engagement
Furniture Design and Procurement support
* with Anderson Mason Dale Architects
Project Stats
Size
40,000 sf new facility housing a Denver Public Library, Early Childhood Education center, Teen Center, Teaching Kitchen, Hydroponics System for fresh vegetables, Offices, and extensive community spaces.
Project budget
$20M
Targeted completion
August, 2024
THE LORETTO HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER
Commún Denver
Cultivating a diverse, vibrant, & peaceful community.
Commún was founded and operates with the knowledge that programs and services must be driven and directed by people who are most impacted by the issue. Commún helps build community resilience through relationships and programs that center community voice, cultivate a sense of belonging, and realize equity.
In the fall of 2023, Commún secured the purchase of Machebeuf Hall, a 40,000 square foot building at the heart of the Loretto Heights campus. The student union and cafeteria building at this historic women’s college has been used as a community gathering space since its inception in 1951. Working together with Kaizen Food Rescue, Sheridan Rising Together for Equity, and the Southwest Denver community, Commún will reimagine and revitalize the space to become the Loretto Heights Community Center.
Collective Potential Services Provided
Project Oversight
Architectural Consulting
Proforma: Project Budget and Operational Cost Analysis
Fundraising support
Project Team development
Community Engagement
Project Management / Owner’s Representative: scheduling, contracts, budgeting, financial management, construction oversight.
Project Stats
Size
40,000 sf renovation housing a new Community Center that will provide Mental Health services, a donation-based grocery store, fair-trade coffee shop, teen center, dentist, bulk environmental retail, salon, co-working spaces, commissary kitchen, teaching kitchen, agri-voltaic garden, and a full food hall, as well as extensive community spaces for gathering, inside and outside.
Project budget
$35M
Targeted completion
Mid-2026
THE LOVE CENTER
Struggle of Love Foundation
Showing our Love to Save our Lives.
The Struggle of Love (S.O.L) Foundation provides opportunities for underprivileged youth and/or families to access year-round services and programs. These programs offer alternatives to those that may not qualify for other community-based assistance programs.
Since its conception, S.O.L has assisted thousands of families through community outreach events. With diverse offerings such as competitive sports and mentor teams, school supplies, food initiatives, toy drives, community picnics, and mental health awareness, Struggle of Love collaborates with other local nonprofits to reach and educate under-served communities in the Denver metro area.
The Love Center is the next home for the Struggle of Love Foundation, where all programs and services can be housed under one roof, with the opportunity for expansion in years to come.
Collective Potential Services Provided
Project Oversight
Property Search
Architectural consulting: visioning, building program development, test fit, property assessment.
Proforma: Project Budget and Operational Cost Analysis
Fundraising support
Project Team Development
Project Management: planning, schedules, contracts, budgeting
Project Stats
Size
25,000 sf new facility housing the administrative offices, mental health services, food distribution, teen center, boxing program, summer camps and other youth programming.
Project budget
$5M
Targeted completion
Early 2026
