Artspace Colorado Springs grew out of a grassroots effort led by the Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to create a permanent home for the city’s creative community. Located in the downtown Creative District, the project is designed to support artists, graduate students, and creative workers while strengthening the cultural vitality of the District as a whole.
The result is Artspace Colorado Springs, a new five-story, mixed-use, all-electric building that will provide 51 units of affordable multifamily live/work housing and approximately 3,000 square feet of commercial space. All residential units are one- or two-bedroom apartments, responding to documented needs to attract and retain the next generation of creative professionals. By concentrating residential and commercial space that prioritizes creative use, Artspace Colorado Springs establishes a long-term, stable home for the creative sector.
The building is designed to National Green Building Standard (NGBS) guidelines, with photo-voltaic capacity and EV-ready parking. The exterior facades are simple and sleek, incorporating continuous insulation for enhanced thermal performance, ultra-insulated solar-reflecting roofs, and EnergyStar® rated windows to reduce heating and cooling demands. Structural enhancements allow for rooftop decks and future solar panel installation on the largely open flat roof.
Inside, the building features bright, contemporary interiors that allow residents to personalize their homes and shared spaces. Ground-floor areas include concrete slab-on-grade floors, while upper levels feature durable luxury vinyl wood-look plank flooring. Walls are primarily painted white with bright accent ceilings and floating “stick” lighting in common corridors. Energy-efficient LED lighting is used throughout all shared spaces and residential units. Kitchens and bathrooms are finished with durable laminate cabinetry and stone-look laminate countertops, and commercially available spec studio spaces are included.
Artspace Colorado Springs is also designed as a visible destination for the arts. Portions of the south- and west-facing facades open onto new ground-level outdoor commons, intended for casual daily use as well as organized artistic gatherings for residents and the broader community. Two five-story exterior walls adjacent to these public commons have been intentionally designed to accommodate large-scale murals, reinforcing the project’s public commitment to art and its role within the downtown Creative District.
Together, the architecture, sustainability features, public art elements, and mix of housing and commercial space reflect the creative energy within the building and affirm Artspace Colorado Springs as a lasting cultural anchor for the city.
