Anschutz Medical Campus

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The Anschutz Medical Campus

History of the Fitzsimons Site

	1901		Large parcel of land in Fletcher, Colorado becomes the Gutheil tree nursery.
	1907		Town of Fletcher in Colorado renamed Aurora.
	1918		Gutheil property purchased by Denver Civic and Commercial Association, and leased to the U.S. Department of the Army.
			Army General Hospital No. 21 is constructed and opened.
	1920		Facility redesignated as Fitzsimons General Hospital in honor of 1st Lt. William T. Fitzsimons.
	1955		U.S. President Eisenhower convalesces at Fitzsimons Army Hospital following a heart attack.

Recent History

	1995		Fitzsimons Army Medical Garrison targeted for closure by the Federal Government.
			Federal authorities and Colorado Congressional delegation lobbies to support a Public Benefit Conveyance of land to the University of Colorado for its Health Sciences Center.
	1997		University of Colorado Denver signs first lease at Fitzsimons for 290 square feet in Historic Building 500.
	1998
		May	Ceremonial ground breaking for the Centers for Advanced Medicine (Outpatient and Cancer Pavilions) and the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute.
			Colorado Legislature passes HB1318, the Fitzsimons Trust Fund, expected to render more than $110 million during its 10-year term. (The fund is later rescinded due to state budget cuts.)
		September	Department of Defense appropriates $10 million for research facilities at Fitzsimons.
		October	CU Board of Regents unanimously approves the University of Colorado Denver's institutional master plan, which includes physical development plans for the new campus at Fitzsimons, projected program development and funding sources and costs for the transition.
		November	University of Colorado Hospital Authority Board of Directors approves the institutional master plan.
		December	Colorado Commission on Higher Education approves the institutional master plan.
	1999
		January	University of Colorado Hospital Authority Board of Directors approves $166 million for construction at Fitzsimons.
		March	Construction begins on Cancer Pavilion.
		May	Construction begins on Outpatient Pavilion.
		June	Fitzsimons officially deactivated as a military installation.
			Gov. Bill Owens signs approval for $216 million Research Complex to be built at Fitzsimons. (Approval for expenditure of University funds.)
		October	Guardhouse located on at main entrance to Fitzsimons is torn down, to open Fitzsimons to a new era.
		November	Ground broken for the Preservation and Access Service Center for Colorado Academic Libraries (PASCAL).
	2000
		January	The Anschutz Foundation gives $25 million to support outpatient hospital programs at the new Fitzsimons campus. The Centers for Advanced Medicine are renamed: Anschutz Centers for Advanced Medicine, including the Anschutz Outpatient and Cancer Pavilions.
		February	Construction begins on Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute.
		June	A ceremonial 'groundbuilding' event is held for the Nighthorse Campbell Native Health building.
		July	Mike A. Leprino donates $10 million for UCH inpatient facility to be built at Fitzsimons.
		October	The Bonfils Stanton Foundation and the Charles E. Stanton Endowment Fund completes gifts to University of Colorado Hospital totaling $3.4 million, to assist with the construction of the Anschutz Centers for Advanced Medicine, and to relocate the May Bonfils Stanton ambulatory clinics to the centers.
		November	Construction completed on Anschutz Cancer Pavilion.
			University of Colorado Hospital accelerates plans for inpatient facility, with a first phase opening early 2004.
		December	Construction completed on Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion.
			Anschutz Centers for Advanced Medicine (Outpatient and Cancer Pavilions) ribbon-cutting ceremonies mark the opening of the first buildings of the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Colorado Hospital campus at Fitzsimons.
			Urban Land Institute report recommends acceleration of UCD Fitzsimons project.
	2001
		January	Construction begins on Research Complex 1.
			Construction begins on Education Facility 1A (Part of Research Complex 1).
		February	University of Colorado Hospital announces and additional Aschutz Foundation gift, $30 million to assist with construction of inpatient hospital.
			PASCAL opens.
		April	Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute opens.
		May	Construction begins on Perinatal Research Facility expansion.
		September	University of Colorado Hospital breaks ground for Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion.
		October	The Children's Hospital announces its plans to relocate to Fitzsimons.
		November	Construction begins on Nighthorse Campbell Native Health building
	2002
		April	An economic impact study of the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Project is released, indicating significant economic benefit to Colorado. (See http://www.colobio.com - Fitzsimons Overview, Econonic Impacts).
		June	Construction begins on Healthy Smiles Dental Clinic. (Reuse building.)
		August	Construction completed on Perinatal Research Facility expansion.
		September	Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Building opens.
			Construction begins on MRI renovation. (Reuse plus new construction.)
		October	Healthy Smiles Clinic opens.
	2003
		January	CU School of Dentistry receives a $3 million gift and a $92.7 million commitment for a business partnership, from the Orthodontic Education Company. (Lazzara Center for Oral-Facial Health.)
			Groundbreaking for University Physicians, Inc. building.
		March	Construction completed on MRI renovation.
		April	Gov. Bill Owens signs HB1256, $203 million state-issued state issued Certificates of Participation (COPs) for the construction of educational facilities at Fitzsimons. (Replacing HB1318) With signing of HB 1256, UCD at Fitzsimons projected completion is accelerated to 2007.
			The Colorado General Assembly passes a bill which provides for the use of Certificates of Participation to fund a new prison facility as well as several buildings at Fitzsimons.
		July	Environmental Health and Safety (Facility Support I) construction begins.
		September	Eisenhower Suite restoration in Building 500 grand opening is held.
		October	The Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition filles a lawsuit in Denver District Court challenging the Constitutionality of the COP legislation. The Plaintiffs allege that the COP legislation violates TABOR.
			Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes construction begins.
	2004
		January	Anschutz Inpatient Facility opens.
			Both the University of Colorado and the CCJRC request that the appeal of the lawsuit regarding COP legislation be heard by the Colorado Supreme Court rather then the Colorado Court of Appeals.
			Denver District Court Judge John N. McMullen grants the University’s request to dismiss CCJRC's lawsuit and in turn rules that the COP legislation is valid and Constitutional. The CCJRC appeals the ruling of the Denver District Court.
		February	Lazzara Center for Oral/Facial Health construction begins.
			UPI Office Building Construction opens.
		May	Environmental Health and Safety (Facility Support I) construction is complete.
		June	Research Complex I opens.
			The Children's Hospital holds ground breaking ceremonies for it's new Fitzsimons facilities.
			CU Regents approve consolidation of Health Sciences Center and Downtown Denver campuses – University of Colorado Denver (UCD).
		August	The Colorado Supreme Court decides not to hear the appeal of the District Court's decision and that it must be heard by the Colorado Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court dies not comment on it's position on the merits of the lawsuit or the Constitutionality of the COP legislation.
		September	Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation (CeDAR) construction begins.
			Research Complex I ribbon cutting and opening ceremonies.
		October	Lance Armstrong visits Fitzsimons with the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope™.
		November	Chancellor James Shore, MD, announces his retirement.
	2005
		January	Education Facility I opens.
		February	Dennis Brimhall, president and CEO at University of Colorado Hospital since 1988, announced that he will leave his position to serve and preside over one of the world-wide missions in his church.
		March	Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes opens.
		April	The Colorado Court of Appeals upholds the District Court's decision regarding COP legislation. The CCJRC requests that the Colorado Supreme Court review the Colorado Court of Appeals' decision.
			Joyce Cashman named interim president and CEO of University of Colorado Hospital.
		May	One of the world's largest magnets, a $5 million 900 MHZ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is placed in the south tower of Research Center I.
		August	Lazzara Center for Oral/Facial Health opens.
		September	Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes dedication ceremonies held.
			Lazzara Center for Oral/Facial Health dedication and ribbon cutting held.
		October	Bruce Schroffel named University of Colorado Hospital president and CEO.
			Research Complex II construction begins.
			The Colorado Supreme Court declined to review the Court of Appeals’ decision, ending the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition's lawsuit.
		November	The public art "Opening Doors" by Colorado artist Christopher Weed was installed between the research towers.
			Greg Stiegmann, MD, Named Interim Chancellor for University of Colorado Denver.
			Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation (CeDAR) opens.
		December	COPs issued for $192.3 million to finance educational facilities at the Fitzsimons campus.
	2006
		January	Louis Diamond, PhD, resigns as dean of the School of Pharmacy, effective October 31, 2006.
		March	Groundbreaking ceremony held for Fulginiti Pavilion for Ethics and Humanities.
		April	Groundbreaking ceremony held for seven educational facilities at Fitzsimons, funded by COPs.
			Announcement of M. Roy Wilson, MD, MS, as new chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver, beginning July 1, 2006.
			Denise Kassebaum appointed as dean of School of Dentistry.
		May	Fitzsimons Parkway opens.
			Post/News Colorado Colfax Marathon goes past – and into – the Fitzsimons site.
		November	Fitzsimons campus renamed Anschutz Medical Campus, in recognition of a series of gifts totaling more than $91 million by The Anschutz Foundation.
			The ALSAM Foundation, a Utah trust, donates $10 million to support construction of a pharmacy building.
		December	Ralph Altiere, PhD named dean of the School of Pharmacy.

(More detailed information about construction progress at Anschutz Medical Campus )