Fort Collins bestows Urban Design Award on new building

Platte River Power Authority’s (Platte River) new headquarters building received an Urban Design Award for Architecture from the City of Fort Collins during their 2022 awards ceremony, held earlier this September at the Lincoln Center.

Completed in 2021, Platte River’s new building is located on the northwest corner of Horsetooth and Timberline roads and features 58,650 square feet of technology, office, meeting and public gathering space. A rooftop solar system, battery storage, a geothermal mechanical system utilizing a pond for geo-exchange, and participation in the City’s green energy program ensure 100% noncarbon energy use on a year-round basis. The project has been submitted for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and is awaiting the final certification level.

“As the wholesale public power provider for Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, we are honored to receive this award on behalf of our owner communities,” said Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River. “It was important for us to design and build a state-of-the-art headquarters facility for our employees and our owner communities that demonstrates our commitment to innovation, engagement and environmental responsibility.”

Eleven projects were selected for honors and Platte River’s headquarters building received recognition for its architecture. The award recognizes projects “…which achieve design excellence through unique relationships with immediate surroundings because of the site, massing, architecture and pedestrian amenities.”

“We are pleased to have designed and built an iconic yet functional facility that represents both the traditional and forward-thinking values of the community,” said Mark Belford of Belford Watkins Group Architects. “We are thankful for the ongoing encouragement offered by the community and our citizens.”

 

Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit, community-owned public power utility that generates and delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, for delivery to their utility customers. For more information, visit prpa.org.