Colorado Christian University Celebrates the Completion of the Armstrong Center: A Milestone for Academic and Community Growth

(Lakewood, Colo.) – December 10, 2024 – Saunders Construction and Colorado Christian University (CCU) are proud to announce the successful completion of the Armstrong Center, a transformative new addition to the campus.

Former President Bill Armstrong, who the facility is named after, was known to say, “Great buildings don’t make a great university, but a great university requires great buildings.” This state-of-the-art facility, designed to enhance academic excellence and foster community engagement, underscores CCU’s commitment to equipping students with Christ-centered education and leadership.

The Armstrong Center, symbolizing the University’s mission to integrate faith, learning, and service, spans over 60,000 square feet. The new facility includes: the School of Music, an expanded library, industry-leading digital media studios, a 500-seat performance theater tailored to meet the needs of the CCU community, and the University’s first dedicated chapel. This building is the fifth and most ambitious project since 2015 in CCU’s development plan.

“The Armstrong Center is the most comprehensive and transformational building on Colorado Christian University’s redeveloped campus. The master plan, led by former President Bill Armstrong, was envisioned to create a world-class environment for Christ-centered higher education. Now the Armstrong Center serves as CCU’s iconic centerpiece. Anchoring the academic quad, the Armstrong Center is a striking architectural statement of excellence and a testament to CCU’s unwavering commitment to Christ-centered higher education. Its beauty and symbolism reflect the enduring legacy of President Bill Armstrong and will continue to inspire and impact the CCU community for generations to come,” said Shannon L. Dreyfuss, Vice President, Operations and Campus Development.

The centerpiece of the building is its inspiring steeple and cross, weighing upwards of 12,000 lbs. The steeple and cross erection in October of 2023 marked a major milestone for the Saunders project team and included a ceremony hosted by the University with hundreds of onlookers eager to witness the hoisting of the cross. With careful planning and perfect wind conditions, it took a little over 3 minutes for Saunders to pick and place the steeple in its final resting spot to be welded.

President of Colorado Christian University, Eric Hogue, expressed excitement about the new center’s potential. “This signature building reflects the high standards that define CCU—a dedication to faith, learning, and community that aligns with our vision to be a great Christian university. The Armstrong Center embodies the spirit of campus collaboration and the professionalism of all who contributed to its creation. Inspired by the visionary leadership of former CCU President and U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong, the Armstrong Center sets a standard of excellence that will serve as a foundation for generations of students, faculty, and staff to grow in grace and truth and impact the world for Christ.”

Justin Cooper, President of Saunders Construction, concluded with, “This building is truly the keystone to the Colorado Christian University academic campus and an enduring landmark to former President Armstrong’s transforming vision for this institution. This building encompasses five distinct and specialized uses, which to perform at the highest functional and aesthetic level, required the use of masonry, steel, concrete and timber building structures all tuned to perform with acoustical precision. From the onset, Saunders set a goal to deliver this project with mastercraft quality, on budget and on time.  Our goal was achieved thanks to the unwavering commitment and collaboration of Colorado Christian University, Davis Partnership, the design and engineering team, our trade contractors, and the “all in” commitment of the Saunders team. It has been an honor to be a part of this campus masterpiece, and we are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us to bring this vision to life.”

The Armstrong Center serves as the academic and spiritual cornerstone for the CCU campus. This project was made possible through the generous contributions of donors, alumni, and community partners.

About Colorado Christian University

Colorado Christian University is a leading interdenominational Christian university located in Lakewood, Colorado. Since its founding in 1914, CCU has been dedicated to providing a transformative education rooted in faith, empowering students to make an enduring impact in their communities and beyond.

About Saunders Construction

Saunders serves the commercial building industry as a full-service general contractor, design-builder and construction manager. A leader in the Colorado construction industry since its inception in 1972, Saunders’ experience includes a wide range of project types. Saunders is one of the region’s largest general contractors and is the recipient of more than 100 industry awards for its construction excellence, employee achievements and community contributions. In addition, Saunders is a member of the Citadel Group – an alliance of seven regional construction-related companies with operations in 19 cities. For additional information, please visit www.saundersinc.com.

Image courtesy of Colorado Christian University