The old Lutheran Medical Center campus in Wheat Ridge is becoming the Legacy Campus, a roughly 100-acre neighborhood planned for about 1,300 homes, parks and possibly a new city hall. Demolition is wrapping up now, and the first homes are expected in late 2027.
For more than a century, the land between West 32nd and West 38th Avenues in central Wheat Ridge was a hospital campus. Intermountain Health moved Lutheran Hospital to its new building at Clear Creek Crossing in August 2024, and the old campus has been changing hands and coming down ever since.
It is one of the largest redevelopment sites in the western suburbs, and it sits in the middle of established neighborhoods. Roughly 1,000 homes surround it, according to the Neighborhood Gazette. That is why it is one of the most common things people ask about when they look at homes in Wheat Ridge or nearby areas such as Paramount Heights and Applewood Villages.
Jason Sirois, a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass, whose office is at 1900 W 32nd Ave in Northwest Denver, works with buyers and sellers across Wheat Ridge. Here is what is planned, what has already happened, what is still undecided and how the timeline looks as of early October 2026.
Who owns the old Lutheran campus, and how big is it?
E5X Management, a Colorado developer led by principal Chris Elliott, closed on the property in December 2025. BusinessDen reported a $60 million purchase price for 89 acres bounded by 32nd Avenue on the south, Dudley Street on the west and Allison Street on the east. The City of Wheat Ridge describes the overall campus as about 100 acres, and E5X calls the project the Legacy Campus.
Three historic pieces of the campus stay in place: the Blue House, the chapel and a historic TB tent, all preserved in place under the city’s approvals. Elliott has floated turning the Blue House into a public tea room, though that is an idea rather than a plan.
What will be built at the Legacy Campus?
The plan is a mixed-use neighborhood that is mostly housing. The Neighborhood Gazette’s August 31, 2026 update put the total at about 1,300 residences. Earlier estimates ranged from 1,200 to 1,500.
- Housing types: single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes, plus apartment buildings.
- Legacy Terrace Apartments: 50 affordable, age-restricted apartments for residents 62 and older, with MGL Partners as the developer.
- Builders: five additional builders under contract for the residential areas. E5X named KB Home among its builders in 2025, and the Gazette reported in February 2026 that individual lots would not be sold separately.
- Open space: 20 percent of the property set aside as public open space, about double the usual mixed-use requirement, plus roughly 2 miles of sidewalk and 1.5 miles of bicycle facilities.
- Retail and commercial: preliminary studies only. No tenants or timeline have been announced.
Prices are not set. E5X said in mid-2025 that it was aiming for many homes in roughly the $400,000 to $600,000 range, but the Gazette’s August 2026 report said pricing had not yet been determined. Treat any number you hear as a target, not a price list.
How tall can buildings be on the old hospital site?
Height is set by Wheat Ridge voters, not just the zoning code. Wheat Ridge’s city charter normally caps building heights. In November 2024, voters approved Ballot Question 2C with 67 percent support, creating campus-specific limits.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Perimeter height limit | 30 feet (about 2.5 stories) for homes near existing neighborhoods |
| Interior height limit | Up to 70 feet (5 stories) |
| Old hospital, for comparison | 91 feet |
| Zoning | Mixed Use-Lutheran Legacy Campus (MU-LLC), approved Jan. 27, 2025 |
| Public open space | 20 percent of the property |
| Metro district | Service plan approved Feb. 2025 |
Source: City of Wheat Ridge Legacy Campus page, updated Sept. 29, 2026.
The practical result is that the tallest, densest buildings go in the middle of the site, and the edges that face existing homes stay at a lower scale. The approved metro district means new homes on the campus may carry a metro district levy on top of regular property taxes, so buyers there should ask for those figures.
When will the first homes be ready?
The timeline has slipped a little, as big redevelopments usually do. The Gazette reported in August 2026 that land use approvals were running behind schedule. Here is where things stand, based on the City of Wheat Ridge project page and the Gazette.
- 2021: City Council adopted the campus master plan.
- January 2026: Concept plan approved.
- February 2026: Deconstruction began.
- Now: Deconstruction nearing completion, with utility work underway and grading expected to start this fall. E5X estimates demolition wraps up in early 2027.
- Later 2026 and 2027: Residential development applications to the city. No vertical construction is expected in 2026.
- Spring or summer 2027: Construction of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes expected to begin.
- Late 2027: First homes expected, with apartments following several months later.
The demolition itself has been unusually thorough about recycling. The Gazette reported a 74 percent diversion rate from landfills, with about 74,000 tons of concrete and asphalt and 10,000 tons of metals recovered, and some concrete crushed on site for road base.
Is Wheat Ridge City Hall moving to the Lutheran site?
Possibly. In December 2025, City Council gave consensus to keep negotiating a land exchange with E5X and to pursue financing for a civic center on part of the campus. The proposed 1-cent sales tax on Wheat Ridge’s November 2026 ballot would help fund a consolidated city hall and police building there. We explain what that measure would and would not pay for in our post on the Wheat Ridge sales tax ballot question. We are not taking a position on it.
What does the Legacy Campus mean for nearby homes?
No one can isolate one development’s effect on a specific home’s value, so we will not put a number on it. What we can describe is how the area around it is likely to change.
- Construction activity for several years. Grading, utilities and road work come before homes, and home building is expected to run from 2027 onward.
- Traffic patterns will shift. E5X said in 2025 that it expected the new neighborhood to generate about half the traffic the hospital did, with a third-party traffic study underway. Watch 32nd and 38th Avenues as phases open.
- New public space. Parks, trails and plazas on 20 percent of the land would be open to the public, not just campus residents.
- More new-construction options in central Wheat Ridge. The campus will add new detached, attached and apartment homes in one place, alongside the resale homes in the surrounding neighborhoods.
For the bigger picture, see our Wheat Ridge community page and our look at what’s open and coming at Clear Creek Crossing, where the hospital moved. If you own near the campus or are thinking about buying in Wheat Ridge, Jason Sirois and the FORM Team at Compass Denver are happy to walk through what it could mean for a specific property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lutheran Legacy Campus in Wheat Ridge?
It is the redevelopment of the former Lutheran Medical Center campus between West 32nd and West 38th Avenues. Developer E5X plans about 1,300 homes, public parks and trails, and possibly a new city hall.
Where did Lutheran Hospital go?
Intermountain Health moved Lutheran Hospital to a new building at Clear Creek Crossing, at I-70 and Highway 58, in August 2024.
How many homes will be built on the old Lutheran campus?
About 1,300, according to the Neighborhood Gazette’s August 2026 report, including single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes and apartments.
When can I buy a home at the Legacy Campus?
The first homes are expected in late 2027. Home construction is expected to begin in spring or summer 2027, after demolition and grading.
How much will Legacy Campus homes cost?
Pricing has not been set. E5X said in 2025 it was targeting roughly $400,000 to $600,000 for many homes, but that was a goal, not a price list.
Which buildings are being saved?
The Blue House, the chapel and a historic TB tent are being preserved in place. The 91-foot hospital and most other buildings are being taken down.
Will there be a metro district?
Yes. A metro district service plan was approved in February 2025. Ask for the current levy on any campus home before you buy.
This post is general information based on City of Wheat Ridge materials and news reports as of October 2026. Plans, approvals, prices and timelines can change. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm details with the City of Wheat Ridge and the developer.
