CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Cherry Creek School District made a hefty purchase to relocate and expand its food and nutrition services facility in response to a growing appetite for school meals.
The district spent $20.8 million buying an 11.5-acre property at 7194 S. Revere Parkway in Centennial on May 8, according to public records.
The property includes a 123,000-square-foot warehouse with 36 loading docks on the east side of the building plus several parking spaces.
“Due to Colorado’s 2022 Healthy School Meals for All legislation, which mandates free meals for all students, the demand for nutritious meals has significantly increased,” Lauren Snell, CCSD public information officer, told the Denver Business Journal in an email. “To meet this need, CCSD requires a larger, updated facility.”
The district serves more than 35,000 meals a day, a 40% increase from last year, Snell said.
“The new, larger warehouse will enable direct purchases from vendors at lower costs, improve ingredient quality, increase scratch-cooked items and offer a wider variety of meal options for all students, including special dietary needs and cultural foods,” she said.
This newly purchased property will also operate as an extra food pantry for CCSD families, she said.
> Read the full story at the Denver Business Journal.
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