With the support of Sage Hospitality, one of the nation's leading hotel management companies that specialize in the management of full service and limited service hotels nationwide, the University is embarking upon an extensive redevelopment of historic Treat Hall, a nationally registered Denver landmark that was built in 1890 as the original building for the Colorado Women's College. 

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Treat Hall has been vacant since 1982. It will undergo a complete renovation designed to preserve the unique features of the building and safeguard its structural integrity and history. Treat Hall will be transformed into a first-class, full-service hotel that will be used for instructional purposes as a Johnson & Wales University practicum property. Staffed by students, the hotel will be an example of the hands-on learning that is essential to the University's career-focused education. The University has similar properties at several of its other campuses throughout the United States. 

The hotel will contain approximately 55 guestrooms, 4,000 square feet of meeting space, and a restaurant. Treat Hall will be an integral part of the University's academic and practicum objectives. Professors will be able to connect classroom theory with practical examples. The following classes are examples of those that will benefit from an on-campus teaching hotel:  front office operations; hospitality accounting; guest services systems; hospitality sales and marketing management; food service operations, and essentials of dining service. 

Denver Campus President Mark Burke says, "Johnson & Wales University is honored to partner with Sage Hospitality because of their commitment to both education and the preservation of historic landmarks. The company shares our mission to provide students with real-world experiences that will lead to successful careers." 

Walter Isenberg, president and chief executive officer of Sage Hospitality Resources, adds, "Johnson & Wales University has demonstrated a great commitment to the community, and their willingness to pursue this project shows their respect for the history of this building, the campus, and the neighborhood. We're delighted to be a part of providing more students practical experience, sure to make them future leaders of the industry."

Redevelopment Profile

* In its 113-year history, historic Treat Hall has served a number of purposes: classroom building, dormitory, and administration offices. It has also been home to multiple institutions: first, Colorado Women's College; next, University of Denver, and now Johnson & Wales University. Throughout these various uses and tenants, Treat Hall has always been the focal point of this campus. Its location, architecture, and sense of grandeur make it one of the most noteworthy structures in the City of Denver.

* Treat Hall was built in two stages. The southern half of the building, distinct with its stone masonry exterior, began construction in 1889 but due to funding shortfalls, was not completed until 1909. The northern portion of Treat Hall, with its brick and terra cotta exterior, was added in 1916. Before Colorado Women's College fully developed the campus, Treat Hall housed the school in its entirety. Classrooms, dormitory rooms, and even the president's living quarters were all contained within Treat Hall. But as the campus grew by leaps and bounds, CWC faced numerous financial difficulties. These unfortunate circumstances prevented the school from investing capital back into the aging structure.

* Upon completion of this project, historic Treat Hall will approximately have 55 guestrooms, 4,000 square feet of meeting space, and a first-class restaurant and lounge. The hotel will be a four-star, boutique property and will offer service levels that will match the magnificence of the building. 

Johnson & Wales - America's Career University® - was founded in 1914. It is a private, non-profit, accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, food service, hospitality and technology. With an enrollment of more than 15,000 students, Johnson & Wales University maintains campuses in Denver, Colo., Providence, R.I., Charleston, S.C., Norfolk, Va., North Miami, Fla., and Göteborg, Sweden, with plans to open a new campus in Charlotte, N.C. in 2004.