National Register of Historic Places

Loretto Heights Academy

Denver, Denver County, Colorado
Listed
September 17, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75000510

About this property

Colorado Heights University was a private university in Denver, Colorado, United States. It was part of the Teikyo University Group. In March 2009, it changed its name from Teikyo Loretto Heights University (TLHU) to Colorado Heights University and later to Colorado Advanced University in July of the same year. It opened in 1989 on the former Loretto Highlands College campus. At the end of the 19th century, Mother Pancratia (Mary Louise Bonfils), of the Sisters of Loretto, had the vision to educate women in the Rocky Mountain region. In 1886, Loretto Heights Academy was founded as a Catholic girls' high school in the building later used as Colorado Heights University's Administration Building. The landmark Administration Building was a Romanesque six-story structure, designed by Denver architect Frank E. Edbrooke (1840-1921). The Administration Building was built from red sandstone and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. Over the years, the school became a college and expanded to include teacher education programs, nursing programs, business, dance and more for both men and women. The campus now has almost 20 structures, including a 1,000-seat theater, an interfaith chapel, a swimming pool, cafeteria, residence halls and recreational amenities. In 1989, Teikyo Loretto Heights University (TLHU) opened on the campus of the former Loretto Heights College. TLHU focused on international students. In 2009, TLHU rebranded to Colorado Heights University. Colorado Heights University was owned by the Teikyo University Group, a multinational educational foundation based in Japan that operates many undergraduate and graduate universities with more than 70,000 students spread across 46 campuses worldwide. In November 2016, Teikyo University Group announced that Colorado Heights University would close due to falling enrollment numbers. Colorado Heights University's academic calendar was semester-based. Colorado Heights University focused on interdisciplinary business degree programs and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. It offered Intensive English and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) preparation certificate programs, the Bachelor of Arts in International Business, and various specializations in the Master of Business Administration in International Business. The campus consisted of 20 buildings on a 74-acre (300,000 m2) site, the highest area in Denver. The Administration Building opened in 1891. Its prominent bell tower could be seen from miles around, serving as a landmark for many Denver residents. Most of the students at Colorado Heights University were non-traditional college students. This demographic includes international students, students enrolling in college for an additional or delayed degree, and students who speak a language other than English as their native tongue.

Location

3001 S. Federal Blvd.
Denver, Denver County, Colorado
39.66168, -105.02770

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Questions about this property

When was Loretto Heights Academy listed on the National Register?

Loretto Heights Academy was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 17, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Loretto Heights Academy?

Loretto Heights Academy is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Loretto Heights Academy?

The period of significance for Loretto Heights Academy is recorded as the industrial era.

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