The FRA's mission and vision

FRA Vision Statement:

The Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, in close collaboration with its partners the City of Aurora and the University of Colorado, will stimulate economic growth by creating a world-class scientific community at Fitzsimons which includes, but is not limited to, entrepreneurial life science organizations, related support services and high-quality amenities.

Background
The Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority (FRA) is a special-purpose governmental entity created in 1996 under an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Aurora and the University of Colorado Regents.

The FRA leads the planning, implementation and redevelopment effort of the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center into a square mile dedicated to learning, patient care, basic science and bioscience research and development in a manner that maximizes the long-term economic benefits to the Aurora community and the State of Colorado. The FRA also is both the master developer and manager of the 160-acre research park component at Fitzsimons, known as the Colorado Bioscience Park Aurora.

FRA Development and Fitzsimons Reuse
In 1995, Fitzsimons was officially put on the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. Officials from the City of Aurora, University of Colorado and University of Colorado Hospital presented an innovative proposal to the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., which emphasized the medical and economic benefits of reusing the decommissioned base to construct a world-class academic, clinical care and scientific research campus.

The newly created Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority was activated in 1996 to create and implement a reuse plan for Fitzsimons. The FRA acquired 332 acres of property at Fitzsimons, 152 buildings and a significant inventory of research equipment and other items of personal property from the Army as the base was decommissioned. Additional property was acquired by the University of Colorado, City of Aurora, The Children’s Hospital and other public entities.