by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
CU Boulder and University of Denver teams to reimagine key Ladera site in Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge
Graduate students from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Denver will help shape a high-profile development site in Timnath this spring as part of the 2026 Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge.
NAIOP Colorado, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has announced that this year’s competition will focus on Ladera, a 240-acre master-planned community at the corner of Interstate 25 and Harmony Road in Timnath. The project sponsor is Connell LLC, with the presenting sponsor Land Title Guarantee Company.
At the center of the challenge is a 14.55-acre waterfront parcel overlooking a planned 30-acre reservoir. The site, currently operating as an asphalt plant and gravel pit nearing the end of its productive life, is expected to transition into a community-focused mixed-use district. Students will step into the role of developers, working with industry mentors to propose a financially feasible, market-ready vision for the property.
The competition mirrors real-world development scenarios, requiring teams to balance community impact, design, market conditions, infrastructure constraints, and financial performance. More than 100 professionals — including developers, architects, brokers, lenders, contractors, and public-sector partners — volunteer annually to mentor students and evaluate proposals.
Connell LLC, which owns and is developing Ladera in partnership with Republic Investment Group, views the challenge as an opportunity to expand its long-term vision for the site. Ladera is planned to include approximately 2 million square feet of development, with retail, restaurants, entertainment, hospitality, healthcare, office space, residential options, and more than 90 acres of lakes and open space. More information about the development is available at https://www.laderaintimnath.com.
The Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge, now in its 24th year, culminates in a live final event on April 22, where student teams will present their proposals before a panel of judges and an audience of commercial real estate professionals. Additional details about the event can be found at https://www.naiop-colorado.org.
For Northern Colorado, the project highlights the region’s continued growth and the role higher education and industry partnerships play in shaping communities like Timnath for decades to come.
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Attribution: Information provided by NAIOP Colorado.