The Capital Construction and Planning unit coordinates university-wide activity and reporting for external constituents. It maintains core data on CU capital construction activities and provides support for the Design Review Board and the Regents Finance Subcommittee.

Board of Regents Finance Subcommittee

Pursuant to Regent Policy 2C, areas of consideration for the Board of Regents Finance Subcommittee include the annual five year and ten-year capital construction plans; ten-year master plans and financing; capital construction proposals; the acquisition, disposal, operating and life cycle costs, and maintenance of facilities; and the use of university grounds, buildings, and other property. According to Regent Law (Article 13, Part A), the Board must approve all real property acquisitions and new construction projects with budgets greater than $2.0 million, and all other capital projects that have budgets greater than $5.0 million.

Capital Project Quarterly Dashboard

Quarterly dashboards provide a brief status and progress update for each of CU's major construction projects that have been approved by the Board of Regents.

Design Review Board

The mission of the University of Colorado Design Review Board (DRB) is to provide review and advice to parties charged with the design and development of proposed capital planning and development projects at all campus properties under control of the Board of Regents.

Meeting Dates, Agendas and Minutes

DRB Processes and Procedures

Members

  • Cheri Gerou, State Architect  - Appointed January 2020 (current DRB Chair)

Cheri is the State Architect of Colorado. The State Architect is responsible for the administration of planning, construction, energy conservation and real estate transactions at state agencies and institutions of higher education. Cheri is a licensed, practicing architect with more than 30 years of experience. She has served as president of both the Denver and Colorado chapters of the American Institute of Architects. She was elected to the College of Fellows of AIA in 2011. She has served on the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s Professional Development Committee.

Before she was named State Architect, Cheri served as the Director of Capital Assets for the University of Colorado from 2017 to 2019. She worked as the Manager of the State Buildings Program with the Office of the State Architect from 2015 to 2017 and served as a member of Colorado House of Representatives from 2009 to 2015. During her six-year tenure in the state legislature, Cheri served as chair of the Appropriations Committee and the Joint Budget Committee. She is a graduate of CU Denver with a degree in fine arts.

  • Donald H. Brandes Jr., ASLA, Landscape Architect  - Appointed September 2012

Donald H. Brandes, Jr., founded Design Studios West, Inc. in 1981, and merged with Matrix Design Group (Matrix) in 2012, to expand their national practice in urban design and landscape architecture. As Vice President and Director of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture for Matrix, Don leads all waterfront, mixed use, downtown redevelopment and land development projects throughout the United States. A Registered Landscape Architect (RLA) in several states, Don is the author of “Developing Difficult Sites – Solutions for Builders and Developers,” published by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and is the recipient of a number of state and national planning and design awards. Don received his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Colorado.  

  • Sarah Semple Brown, FAIA, Architect - Appointed August 2016

As co-founder and design principal of Semple Brown Design since 1982, Sarah Semple Brown’s thoughtful, layered approach to the design process is guided by her innate ability to genuinely understand her clients and their desires.  She has made a substantial impact on the development of Denver’s built environment, and many of her projects have involved highly visible restorations and adaptive reuse interventions of historic buildings that bring great character and a sense of history to the Mile High City.  Her award-winning projects are infused with simple clean concepts, depth, warmth, and quality – and are always respectful of the site.

  • Victor Olgyay, AIA, Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute Buildings Practice - Appointed April 2011

Victor Olgyay, AIA is an architect living in Boulder, Colorado. In 1978 he designed his first passive solar house, and has since worked as an architect, writer, professor, researcher, daylighting designer, and environmental consultant. Since 2005, he has been a principal with Rocky Mountain Institute leading the Institute’s Buildings Practice to encourage widespread adoption of comprehensive building energy retrofits.

From 1993 to 2000, Victor was an Associate Professor and Director of Research at the University of Hawaii School of Architecture. He was appointed Chairman of the AIA Honolulu Energy and Environment Committee 1995–2000, and in 1998 he was named a Dana Fellow of the Joslyn Castle Institute for Sustainable Communities. He has served on the Board of Directors for the American Solar Energy Society, and is currently on the University of Colorado Design Review Board, and the GSA Green Building Advisory Committee. His research has focused on ecological restoration and on ecosystem services as criteria for green building assessment. Recently, Victor’s research has expanded into building tool application, especially for demonstrating the reduction of carbon, water, and ecological footprints.

  • Chris Shears, FAIA, Architect – Appointed September 2018

Chris Shears is founding principal of Shears Adkins Rockmore Architects.  Chris is a strong planner and designer with over 30 years of experience involving projects nationally and internationally.  His interest and expertise, focuses on the planning and design of complex downtown urban infill and mixed use projects. 

A passionate weaver of urban fabric, Christopher Shears, FAIA leads in expanding the possibilities of planning, zoning and design to catalytically transform cities and how people live in them. Working with city officials for more than thirty-years to expand established entitlements while engaging communities and stakeholders, Shears specializes in creative interpretation of zoning ordinances and design standards to achieve economically – sound contextual solutions. Shears’ sensitive infill and transit-oriented design in LoDo and adjacent neighborhoods encompasses over a billion dollars of development.  Chris earned a BArch (with distinction) from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s Degree, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University.

  • Michael O. Winters, FAIA, Architect - Appointed December 2014

Michael Winters is a Partner and Director of Design and Interiors at Fentress Architects, where he has worked for over 34 years. Michael has been the Lead Designer for some of the firm’s largest and most complex projects locally and internationally. His projects include Denver International Airport, the Colorado Convention Center, 1999 Broadway, Clark County Government Center, San Jose International Airport, and Kuwait Business Center. His career portfolio totals over $9.5 billion, and has won over 115 design awards, including 10 national design competition wins. Prior to joining Fentress, Michael worked for Skidmore Owings and Merrill for three years. He received his undergraduate architectural degree with High Honors from the University of Wisconsin, and his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado.  

  • Kori Donaldson (ex officio) - Senior Director for Capital Construction and Planning, University of Colorado

Kori joined the University of Colorado System office in December 2019. She has more than 14 years of experience in budgeting, capital planning, and public policy. In her current role, Kori supports the CU System CFO and leadership on issues related to capital budgeting, financing, and planning. Kori also serves as an administrator and ex officio member of the Design Review Board.

From August 2007 to December 2019, Kori worked for Colorado Legislative Council, the nonpartisan policy and research agency for the Colorado General Assembly. In February 2009, Kori was appointed as the lead staff of the Capital Development Committee (CDC), a role she held until she left the agency to work at CU. In her role as lead staff of the CDC, Kori worked with every state agency and institution of higher education. She oversaw the analysis of all funding requests associated with capital construction projects, advised the committee about the capital process, and briefed the committee on policy issues of interest.

In addition to staffing the CDC, Kori staffed both the House and Senate Finance Committees, published memos and issue briefs on a wide variety of infrastructure and financing topics, and wrote fiscal notes on bills addressing issues such as state construction contracting, state procurement, and certificates of participation. She also served as a team lead, managed construction projects paid through the legislative budget in three different buildings, and wrote for the Blue Book.

Capital Budgets

Controlled Maintenance

Campus Contacts

Campus Facilities Management/Capital Planning Offices

External Links