The Regency, Denver

The Regency is one of three student-housing communities for the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver, Colorado. Formerly the Regency Hotel, the building is privately owned by local investor and proprietor V. Robert Salazar (owner of Regency Realty Investors LLC), who bought the building in 2004.

Located two miles from the Auraria Campus, just off Interstate 25 and Park Avenue West, The Regency is Auraria’s first student housing community (the others being Inn at Auraria and the Campus Village Apartments). Both graduate and undergraduate students of Metropolitan State College of Denver, Community College of Denver and University of Colorado Denver are eligible for housing at The Regency.

History

According to a Regency press release, Williams Construction Corporation began renovation of The Regency in early 2005. In order to make the hotel habitable again they had to update the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and life safety systems. They also installed new windows and replaced the building’s roof among other tasks.

During construction, the building’s golden-domed rotunda caught fire. Fortunately, no one was harmed and there were no delays to the construction schedule.

"The Regency once rated four stars in travel guides. Denver developers Victor and Martin Lederman were its first owners, having built the hotel's original tower and lobby complex in 1969 at a cost of $4 million. There were 180 guest rooms in the tower, and two lounges, two dining rooms and a coffee shop on the first floor. The hotel was successful, and in 1973, the Ledermans hired local architect Richard L. DeGette to design a $5.5 million expansion. It added 230 rooms, an outdoor pool, a convert|16000|sqft|m2|-2|sing=on ballroom with two-story-high ceilings, a conference center and a convert|12000|sqft|m2|-2|sing=on exhibit hall beneath a massive golden dome. The Regency was then one of the few luxury hotels of its size in America to be independently owned. In addition to Elvis, President Gerald Ford and Olympics track-and-field star Jesse Owens stayed there when they came to town. It was a popular spot for weddings, black-tie fundraisers and high school proms.

The designers of the community were Architectural Workshop. For there work at The Regency they won several awards such as the 2005 Hard Hat Award as well as received Honorable Mention for Renovation Design in the 2006 ASID Awards.

The Community

The first students moved into The Regency on September 1, 2005 as minor renovation was still being completed inside the main tower.

Floor Plans and Rates

There are four rooming options for students. They include a single unit ($650-$675 per month), a Double unit ($495-$520 per month), and a two-bedroom unit ($670-$750 per month).

Bedroom Amenities

A resident’s monthly rent includes the payment of basic cable television, high-speed Internet access, local telephone service and utilities.

Each room is also furnished with a bed, a dresser, a desk and a chair per person. Unlike most college dorms, rooms also have their own private bathroom and climate control since The Regency was a former hotel.

Community Amenities

Located around The Regency are numerous services for the residents, including laundry facilities, a fitness center and weight room, two indoor basketball courts, four pool tables, a computer lab, an ATM and a big-screen amphitheater. There are also several flat-screen televisions located throughout the community as well as vending machines on every other habitable floor.Denver Dining runs the community’s convenience store and all-you-can-eat dining hall. The Meal plans are mandatory every semester, except summer, as the dining hall is closed at the end of the spring semester and re-opens at the beginning of the fall semester.

Along with free parking and bike racks, the community can take advantage of a free bus shuttle that drives students to and from the Auraria Campus every weekday during the spring and fall semesters.

The Regency also employs a nighttime security guard along with a janitorial and maintenance staff.

ecurity

The safety and security of the residents of The Regency is very important. The community has the following:

--Security cameras within the interior and exterior of the building
--Gated community
--Key card access only
--24 hour Community Assistant on duty
--On-site management staff
--On-site maintenance staff

External links

* [http://www.regencystudenthousing.com www.regencystudenthousing.com] The Regency
* [http://www.ahec.edu www.ahec.edu] Auraria Campus
* [http://www.mscd.edu www.mscd.edu] Metropolitan State College of Denver
* [http://www.ccd.edu www.ccd.edu] Community College of Denver
* [http://www.cudenver.edu www.cudenver.edu] University of Colorado at Denver

ources

www.regencystudenthousing.com