Around 40 students gathered as Allies of Unhoused Youth (Allies) held a “teach-in” outside of the Worner Student Center after class on Sept. 21. In partnership with Memorial Park Neighbors Union members, the organization educated the crowd about the Union Printers Home Urban Development and its connection with CC donor Susan Burghart. Burghart, who is the namesake of campus cafe Susie B’s, is also a former Board of Trustees Chair and Fine Arts Center board member.
According to the Memorial Park Neighbors Union Website, the Union Printers Home Development is planned to be a 26-acre property on Union Boulevard and Pikes Peak Avenue. It is set to be built into a $1 to $2 billion luxury development with residential, retail and entertainment components.
The perceived gentrification of the Memorial Park Neighborhood has sparked public debate over whether a Community Benefits Agreement, known as a CBA, will be put in place. A CBA would force the Union Printers Home Partnership (UHP) to provide funds for the community benefit in exchange for support and public funding.
Memorial Park Neighbors Union member and CC alumna Savannah McDaniel ‘18 began the teach-in by detailing how her former neighborhood, Knob Hill, was gentrified. She called out the developers of this project for hiding behind the anonymity of UPH Partners, calling them “well-known career developers with connections throughout the city.”
According to Juniper Berry ‘27, organizer for Allies of Unhoused Youth, the Union Printers Home development would receive a tax exemption for 25 years, resulting in the loss of public funds for public schools, libraries, and general neighborhood upkeep with an estimated loss of tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. They argued that a CC students’ education should not be tied to the displacement of entire neighborhoods, and that CC students need to advocate for a CBA that can shift the balance of power.
They then turned to discussing the involvement of Burghart ‘77, who is involved in both Colorado College’s finances and the Union Printers Home. She is one of the UPH Partners and has contributed to the $18.5 million towards the development.
Burghart gifted Colorado College $5 million for the creation of the new Tutt Library in 2014 while acting as secretary of the Board of Trustees. As Board of Trustees Chair in 2020, she donated $1 million to “enhance and accelerate the work of the new DEI leadership team and further the college’s antiracism initiative.” In 2019, Burghart initiated the Susie B’s Challenge, matching gifts of $50,000 or more in order to support the Colorado Pledge, which makes CC more affordable to in-state students.
Members of Allies of Unhoused Youth argued that Colorado College’s legacy should not be attached to the gentrification of Colorado Springs, and that CC students need to break out of the “CC bubble” in order to make a difference.
“Our education at Colorado College is tied to the gentrification of the Springs, making education and the standard of living less accessible for working-class people in Colorado Springs,” said Berry. “We have a responsibility as CC students to be involved in making sure that Colorado Springs is an affordable and accessible place for all of our neighbors.”
Allies noted separate examples of CC’s growth coupled with urban development loss. They cited the construction of the Creekside Tutt library holding facility to store CC’s books during Tutt’s renovation, which required the destruction of affordable Victorian homes near campus. The building of Ed Robson Arena similarly resulted in loss of local businesses on Tejon and Dale Street, according to the group.
As Allies gave their call to action, each UPH Developer’s name was shouted out with a crowd response of “shame” afterward.
Doe Reh ‘28 attended as a Bonner Fellow in partnership with the Colorado Springs Tenants Union and spoke about CC’s supposed support for equitable education. He called for this value to be acted on in support of public education in Colorado Springs. “At the end of the day, we are all tenants, even CC students,” said Reh.
Allies finished their teach-in by emphasizing that CC student involvement is not about becoming an activist but is rather about coming in alongside the neighborhoods and schools that are already fighting for a voice in the development.
After the event, CC student Irene Pierpont ‘28 said that she found the teach-in “indicative of the fact that CC students don’t want public money for non-public benefits, and we don’t want to be complicit in gentrification.”
Allies is looking for a way to bridge the gap between the Colorado Springs community and CC. Memorial Park Neighbors Union member Naomi Henry ‘24 noted the isolation of students, faculty and staff on the campus. “There’s really a story that’s told about The Springs. That this place is super conservative and military, and there’s nothing really for anyone here. And this campus is so liberal and so rich and so white,” said Henry. “But there’s really so many strong, deep, rooted communities in the Springs that have been here for a long time and have been fighting for their families and their neighborhoods and their communities for a long time.”