Highlands Ranch residents say they were surprised and angered by their homeowners association’s attempt to sell 100 acres of prime open space to a small, faith-based university to build a new campus.
Their anger ended up stopping the deal.
Colorado Christian University, which sits on a 30-acre campus in Lakewood, tried to buy a prime spot in the hills south of Highlands Ranch where it wanted to build a residential campus for up to 2,700 students, along with staff and faculty. The site is southwest of the Skyridge Medical Center near Lincoln Avenue and Interstate 25.
The plan was presented publicly for the first time Nov. 24 by the Highlands Ranch Community Association and Shea Properties, which developed parts of the subdivision. Fierce opposition grew quickly, to the point that nearly 500 opponents jammed a public hearing Jan. 6.
Mike Woodland, a homeowners delegate, said he received more than 400 phone calls and e-mails about the proposal, all but two were opposed.
“The opposition was absolutely overwhelming,” he said.
On Monday, the school withdrew its offer to purchase the land and said it would look elsewhere.
The land is considered open space but is zoned for limited use for schools, recreation such as golf courses or cultural events, said Gordon Von Stroh, a University of Denver business school professor and member of the HRCA’s development review committee.
Some residents accused Shea Properties of creating a sweetheart deal. Under the current ownership agreement, if the HRCA sells any of the land, Shea receives half of the proceeds.
HRCA offered the land to CCU for between $10,000 and $11,000 an acre, which Woodland, a real estate broker, said was at the very low end of market value. Shea announced that it would donate its half of the proceeds back to CCU, which in effect would have cut the purchase price to between $5,000 and $5,500 an acre.
Attempts to reach Shea and the HRCA board of directors were unsuccessful.
