Commún Buys Machebeuf Hall!
Thanks to Denver’s Office of Economic Development, Commún has purchased Machebeuf Hall, the former student union building on the Loretto Heights campus. Commún and the Southwest Denver community will begin next steps towards redeveloping the 39,000 square foot facility as a new community center.
Commún has been launching community-driven programming with local residents since its inception, to build community resilience and a greater sense of belonging. Programs center community voice and decision-making, working to realize equity through accessible mental health, food sovereignty, community organizing, and economic vitality. The student union building’s redevelopment is being informed by intensive community engagement over the past five years in Spanish, English, and Arabic. The center will highlight the culturally rich and well-established community, which is rapidly expanding through the development of the broader campus.
"Many community members have said they want a space where they feel safe, welcomed, and where they wouldn’t feel ignored,” said Marta Lopez, co-founder and community organizer at Commún.