Colo. Governor Freezes Campus Construction Projects Amid Financial Turmoil

Will there be more vacant holes in the ground at Colorado’s state universities? Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has called for a freeze on all state-supported construction projects, according to news outlets in the state. The Associated Press described the move as “a major reversal for Ritter,” who had recently said it was too early to begin slashing the state budget.

The wire service said the freeze could affect three building projects at the University of Colorado: a $9.4-million renovation of an arts-and-sciences building on the Boulder campus, due for completion next year; a $15-million renovation of a science building, also on the Boulder campus; and the construction of a science building on the Colorado Springs campus.

The governor, a Democrat, also asked for a freeze on hiring.

“Colorado is not immune from what’s happening around us,” Mr. Ritter told reporters. “We must be prudent and we must be thoughtful in our planning. We must take steps now to ensure that we have options should state revenues begin to dramatically decline.”

Colorado has had problems recently with derailed construction projects — in particular, a science building at the Auraria Higher Education Center, a project supported by multiple institutions. After the state pulled $37.5-million out of the project, leaving an infamous hole in the ground, the colleges announced that they would go ahead with the project anyway. Lawmakers in the state decided to raise taxes on oil and gas to finish that project and others.