Barden retires after 28-year CU career

Mike Barden, director of facilities projects, retired this week after a 28-year career managing design and construction for CU Anschutz, CU Denver and CU Boulder. His distinguished CU career included management oversight of new buildings, additions and renovations totaling over 7.2 million square feet and more than $2 billion.

Barden joined the design and construction team at CU Boulder in July 1993 as a project manager after an eight-year career with a Top 15 U.S. general contractor, Hensel Phelps. He had just completed the original DIA Concourse C project prior to joining CU. Notable CU Boulder projects include the University Memorial Center, Wardenburg Health Center, IMIG Music Building addition, Integrated Teaching and Learning Lab and the Environmental Health and Safety buildings.

After reaching the assistant director level at CU Boulder, Barden in 2000 became manager of major projects at CU Health Sciences Center, including developing the newly acquired Fitzsimons Army Base into a new medical campus. Barden and team have guided the design and construction of over 2,200 projects at CU Anschutz, including 21 new buildings/additions and renovations over 21 years.

In 2005, CU Health Sciences Center merged with the CU Denver campus, which brought initial smaller renovation projects in the Lawrence Street Center and CU Denver Building that evolved into larger needs. These continue today with the new Engineering Building. Barden’s major projects include the Business School, Student Commons, North Classroom, Lola and Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center, Lynx Crossing and City Heights.

Barden became the director of facilities projects in 2010, continuing in that role until his retirement, serving CU Anschutz, CU Denver and CU South.

“It has been a pleasure to guide the growth of the CU-built community on three campuses,” Barden said.