It began with zoning signs. Soon thereafter, houses on the corner of High and Asbury were demolished. The land was leveled, fences were raised and on March 5th, the next addition to the University of Denver had its groundbreaking ceremony.

The Merle Catherine Chambers Center for the Advancement of Women is a testament to fundraising, conviction and a smart university venture. Almost 91 percent of the $9 million needed has been raised through the philanthropic efforts of women, community leaders, the university and anonymous donors.

According to The Woman’s College Dean Michelle “Mike” Bloom, “This building will give us a home on the campus.”

And quite a home it will be. The building will have a brick facade and the now famous DU copper roof. The 32,000-square-foot building will also feature a technologically sophisticated “cybrary” and resource room, gallery spaces and fomal gardens.

The Chambers Center is a joint project of The Women’s College of DU, the Women’s Foundation of Colorado and HERS, Mid-America. It is named after Merle Chambers, a Colorado businesswoman and philanthropist, who donated $3 million to the center.

All three organizations will be housed in the building.

According to DU Chancellor Daniel Ritchie, “Each of these organizations already makes a big impact individually. I predict that, working together, they will make unprecedented positive differences in our community.”

Only six percent of the nation’s philanthropic funding is invested in women and girls. Created by women for women, the Chambers Center will foster the advancement and education of adult women through undergraduate degrees in business administration, applied computing and communications.

Warren Smith, director of public relations for the university said, “Nearly a thousand women who may not have had access to a degree have graduated from the Women’s College since its inception.

According to Steve Edmonds, director, Office of the Chancellor, the plan to consolidate the campuses and build new buildings will allow more collaboration across the university.