The latest at Loretto Heights: Nonprofit purchases historic Machebeuf Hall

Commún will turn the old cafeteria into a community center that will support Harvey Park and Southwest Denver residents.
4 min. read
Loretto Heights’ Machebeuf Hall. Dec. 12, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Development and renovation is continuing at the Loretto Heights campus in Southwest Denver, this time with Machebeuf Hall.

Commún, a southwest Denver nonprofit focused on community wealth building, announced that they've officially purchased Machebeuf Hall and will turn the space into a community center.

The 72-acre historic Loretto Heights campus has undergone significant development led by Westside Investment Partners who purchased the site in 2018. Westside's plan is to turn the campus into a mixed-use development equipped with outdoor space, commercial space such as retail, restaurants and office space, and housing both affordable and market-rate and different types of housing such as apartments and single-family homes.

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Now, at the center of the campus will be a community center run by Commún. The nonprofit started in 2019 with the goal of opening a community space at the historic campus to support nearby residents. Since the nonprofit began, they've provided neighbors with access to healthy food, mental health support, job development skills and community organizing classes.

The Loretto Heights campus is still under construction. Sept. 15, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

They work with residents in College View, Mar Lee, Ruby Hill, Harvey Park, Harvey Park South, the Northern part of the City of Sheridan, and Bear Valley.

Finding funding for the project was the tough part.

But the Urban Land Conservancy helped with that process. ULC, the real estate nonprofit that works to preserve communities and prevent displacement, purchased Machebeuf Hall from Westside in 2022.

They started leasing the property to Commún at the beginning of the year with a clause that allowed the nonprofit to eventually purchase the property for them. This gave the nonprofit time to gather the funding.

In October, City Council approved an almost $3 million grant between Commún and the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity office to purchase the site. Funding was also provided by the Gates Family Foundation.

They completed that acquisition this week.

"Many community members have said they want a space where they feel safe, welcomed, and where they wouldn't feel ignored," wrote Martha Lopez, co-founder, community resident, and community organizer at Commún in a press release. "We heard over and over that in this space, people would like to see other people who speak their language so they have the confidence in asking about programs, resources, and simultaneous activities for the whole family -- from parents and children to elders."

Housing construction is well underway at Loretto Heights. Dec. 12, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

The center will provide job training, co-working spaces, additional community wealth building and organizing classes and opportunities for small businesses owners, including a public food hall for hospitality businesses.

Commún will renovate the inside of Machebeuf Hall, which used to be the school's old cafeteria. They will preserve the outside of the building, an ask by the community.

Preservation efforts can be seen across the development, including Machebeuf and Pancratia Hall, the Gothic-style old dormitory that was turned into affordable housing.

Recently, Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) completed the purchase of the historic Loretto library and the acquisition of the May Stanton Bonfils Theatre. They will own and operate the two connected buildings and turn the space into a new cultural hub.

And residential development continues at the campus. Grand Peaks is building a 380-unit apartment complex with about 26 deed-restricted units for affordable housing. Thrive Home Builders are developing 340 for-sale detached and attached single-family homes and 15 of them will be deed-restricted for affordable housing.

Once all the vertical development is complete, Westside said it will begin working on the outdoor spaces, including a memorial garden where the Sisters of Loretto were once buried. About 20% of the project is dedicated toward green spaces.

Housing construction is well underway at Loretto Heights. Dec. 12, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

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