A group of Delta County stakeholders wants to breathe new life into a shuttered agricultural research center. The Colorado State University facility sits on 83 acres outside of Hotchkiss on Rogers Mesa.
The property has a residence, classrooms, laboratory space, offices, cold storage, a greenhouse and equipment storage sheds.
CSU used the site to conduct research on fruit trees, but now the classrooms and laboratories sit empty.
The university closed the center four years ago. CSU planned to sell the site, but that’s when a group of Delta County stakeholders stepped in.
"It was at that time when the sale was close that state representatives and the Delta County commissioners, and Delta County Economic Development thought that property was worth another look at as an asset to the community," said Delta County Administrator Robbie LeVallie.
The group commissioned a study to find out if the site has potential as an educational center or farm incubator. The findings were published last week.
"From that feasibility study it was determined that just a straight education facility would not pay, but a combination of commercial and education and research would pay if there was some commitment from CSU to hold the lease value at a low dollar amount," said LeVallie.
She said now the county is accepting letters of interest from organizations that want to help develop new programs at the agricultural site.
The county is accepting letters through Oct. 1.
