DENVER — A Denver-based development firm has purchased the former VA hospital campus in east Denver for more than $41 million.
GM Development has closed on the sale after submitting the winning bid at auction in August.
The 8-acre property is located at 1055 Clermont Street in Denver's Hale neighborhood. According to the auction webpage, the purchase includes the former main hospital building, two former research buildings, a former canteen/medical building, an emergency generator structure and an eight-floor parking structure.
The area just west of the property has seen significant change in the past few years. The former University Hospital campus is being redeveloped with apartments, restaurants and other businesses as part of the 9+CO project.
GM Development said they're still figuring out what to do with the VA property.
"We’re very excited about a variety of options for the site, but our ultimate direction with respect to redevelopment versus ground up development, etc is a function of discussions with various stake holders, including the city and community," the developer said in an email. "We’re at the very beginning of that process. Until we’ve had more conversations with the city, our neighbors, and the broader community, it wouldn’t be responsible for us to put forward proposals."
"It’s our belief development should be reflective of what folks around our site need and want, and as a result we’re in listening mode at the moment," the statement continued. "Our hope is that when we do come forward with something it will be a thoughtful reflection of what we’ve heard and learned from the conversations we’re just now able to have in earnest."
President Harry Truman approved the purchase of the site for a VA hospital in 1948. The VA medical center moved to the area of I-225 and Colfax Avenue in Aurora in 2007, according to the Denver Gazette. A new VA hospital opened in Aurora in July 2018.
The General Services Administration put the property up for auction on June 20. A total of five bidders submitted offers. Their names were not disclosed.
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