Urban Innovation Campus
Where a region's
potential goes to work.
Transforming education to build Colorado's workforce, advance innovation and expand opportunity — in one downtown place.
A NEW MODEL , AT A GLANCE
Five Focus areas under one roof
One Downtown Longmont home for learning & work
Infinite Pathways from classroom to career
The Vision
More than a campus. A talent engine.
The Urban Innovation Campus is not a traditional academic campus. It's an integrated workforce ecosystem a place designed to intentionally connect education, employment, innovation and community in the heart of Longmont. Here, education doesn't sit apart from opportunity. Students, employers, educators and entrepreneurs share the same space, so that learning translates directly into employment and economic mobility. It's a new model for what a community college can be and what a region can become.
What the campus brings together
- Flexible learning environments that adapt to changing industry
- Applied-learning laboratories and maker spaces
- Healthcare and health-technology training environments
- Industry co-location and employer engagement space
- Entrepreneurship and innovation programming
- Career-pathway navigation and integrated student support
This is not a final design — it's a visual representation of the direction we're heading, not a finished blueprint. Every element shown, from layout to landscaping, remains open to change as we continue working through design and community engagement. We'll keep this page updated as the vision evolves.*
Five Focus Areas
Built for Colorado’s Workforce Needs
Every program is anchored to a high-demand sector shaping the region's economic future.
Healthcare & Sciences
Training the caregivers and technicians our communities depend on.
Arts & Creative Industries
Where creativity becomes a career and culture drives the economy
Advanced Manufacturing & Technology
Skills for the factories and labs defining what's next.
Business & Entrepreneurship
Turning ideas into ventures, and students into founders.
Engineering
Building the problemsolvers the region's industries need.
Strategic Impact
A shared investment in the region's future.
This is not a single institution's project. It advances opportunity for everyone it touches.
For Students
- Access to high-demand career programs
- Personalized support and career guidance
- Direct connections to employers and living wages
For Employers
- Direct access to emerging talent
- Workforce training and upskilling
- Industry collaboration and innovation partnerships
For Longmont
- A permanent downtown education anchor
- Economic activity and redevelopment momentum
- Stronger talent attraction and retention
For Colorado
- A strengthened talent pipeline
- Expanded economic mobility through education
- A scalable model for CCCS and beyond
Why Now
The right moment to build.
FRCC's Longmont operations are spread across three leased buildings roughly 144,000 square feet with limited stability, flexibility and room to grow with workforce demand. Building a permanent home isn't just a bigger vision. It's a responsible alternative to decades of rising lease costs.
An Investment in Our Financial Sustainability
Our current leasing model:
$2.4M
$44M
$112M
Limited
What Success Looks Like
The lives this campus changes
A first-generation student enters a healthcare pathway and steps into a living-wage career.
A manufacturer partners directly with FRCC to develop talent for advanced technologies.
A startup collaborates with students and faculty to accelerate a new idea.
A community member finds education, workforce services and support all in one place.
Longmont becomes recognized as a regional hub for talent, innovation and mobility.
Colorado gains a scalable model for workforce centered community college innovation.
The Partnership Model
Built together, by design.
Front Range Community College and the City of Longmont are exploring a public-private partnership that leverages municipal assets, urban-renewal tools, industry participation, and philanthropic support reducing long-term risk and maximizing public investment.
Reduce long-term financial risk
Maximize public investment
Leverage external funding
Expand community impact
What the campus brings together
- Front Range Community College
- City of Longmont
- Regional employers across five sectors
- Community and philanthropic partners
Get To Know The Team
Team Moving the Project Forward
Bringing a new campus to life takes expertise from every corner of the college. Meet the leaders, planners, and partners guiding the Urban Innovation Campus from vision to reality.
Executive Sponsor
Dr. Colleen Simpson, President
Core Team Members
Lilian Clemente, Executive Vice President & Chief Communications Officer
Dr. Rebecca Woulfe, Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs
Dr. Alana Olschwang, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation
Dr. Ethan Johnson, Vice President of Operations
David Osborn, Vice President of Finance & Administration
Derek Brown, Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management
Cross-Functional Steering Committee
Lilian Clemente, Steering Committee Lead
Derek Brown, representing Facilities/Operations
Beryl Durazo, representing Foundation & Community Partnerships
Chris McGilvray, representing Academic Dean CIM
Angie Peach, representing Academic Dean
Janel Highfill, representing Workforce Development
Emily Hsu, representing Dean Enrollment Management & Student Success
Chico Garcia, representing Dean Enrollment Management & Student Success & HSI
Caralee Sommers, representing Organizational Development & Human Resources and Extended Leadership Team
John Cross, representing Chair Council
Genevieve Clayton, representing Instructor
Be a part of it
Help build Colorado's next innovation hub.
The Urban Innovation Campus is a generational opportunity and it will be built together.
Whether you're an employer, a civic leader or someone who believes in the power of education, there's a place for you in this story.
Stay Connected
Follow the campus as it takes shape.
Get updates on design milestones, partnership news and ways to get involved as the vision becomes real.