A mix of old and very new

The land that was once Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in north Aurora is now home to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, major hospitals and a growing research and business district. Around it, mid-rise apartment buildings, student and workforce housing, medical office buildings and clinics have gone up in the last two decades, alongside older motels, apartments and commercial buildings along East Colfax Avenue.

Water losses in this area tend to fall into two groups. In the newer buildings, leaks come from sprinkler lines, unit plumbing, rooftop equipment and condensate drains, and they move through concrete-and-steel or podium construction in ways that differ from wood-framed houses. In the older properties nearby, aging plumbing and deferred maintenance are more often the cause.

Area notes

ZIP code
80045 covers the campus; surrounding blocks fall in 80010 and 80011
Building types
Mid-rise apartments, medical offices, labs, older Colfax-corridor buildings
Typical sources
Sprinkler lines, unit supply lines, rooftop units, condensate drains
Sensitive contents
Medical equipment, records, lab materials, electronics
Occupants
Many renters, including students and hospital staff on shift schedules

Newer mid-rise versus older Colfax buildings

Newer mid-rise

  • Water may travel along concrete slabs to a pipe penetration before appearing
  • Fire sprinkler systems throughout, with risers and control rooms
  • Management companies with on-site maintenance and procedures
  • Units with vinyl plank floors where water hides at the slab

Older Colfax-area buildings

  • Wood framing where water runs along joists
  • Older supply and drain piping prone to failure
  • Smaller owners who may need more help coordinating
  • Older materials that may need hazardous-materials testing before removal

For clinic and lab managers in the area

Questions for apartment renters near the campus

  1. If water came from the unit above or a sprinkler line, has management documented it under my unit?
  2. Will drying equipment run while I am working night shifts or sleeping during the day?
  3. Is my renter's insurance notified, and is temporary housing needed?
  4. Who do I contact if equipment stops or a breaker trips?
Map of Fitzsimons / Anschutz Medical Campus area. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

General information for Aurora, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.