The first-of-its-kind facility at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs has been designed with intentional “collision spaces” for collaboration among medical doctors, faculty researchers and students. Its opening today represents the culmination of a vision six years in the making.
The start of the fall semester at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) will bring together students and faculty for education and research with the medical providers and clinical experts at Centura Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. These combination of the leading educational and healthcare providers in southern Colorado will facilitate a laboratory of excellence in the pioneering facility.
Led by co-directors Bill Lueck from Centura and Steve Johnson from UCCS, the facility uses a liberal amount of glass and open space to enable the “collision” philosophy. Students, faculty, clinicians, doctors, patients and athletes will have access to a collection of equipment rarely found in a single facility. This includes:
- An altitude chamber that transports users from a sea level atmosphere to the heights of the Himalayas.
- An environmental chamber that allows control of altitude, temperature and humidity.
- A nutrition lab and kitchen that optimizes the fuel needed for athletes of all skills and abilities.
- A biomechanics lab that permits enhanced study of movement.
- Specialized equipment that allows athletes with physical disabilities and tactical athletes like firefighters and police officers to train.
- A sports medicine clinic that enables medical providers to see patients.
- A sports performance clinic that helps athletes train at optimal levels.
Funded as part of the City for Champions project approved by the Colorado Economic Development Commission in 2013, the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center is designed to attract users from across the U.S. When athletes or patients are not completing treatment or training, they can enjoy the sites in Colorado Springs, including another City for Champions project: the recently completed United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum. The two facilities will later be joined by other project initiatives like a new visitor’s center at the Air Force Academy, Robson Arena at Colorado College and Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.
The facility will be the first to carry the Hybl name. An accomplished state, national and international leader, William J. Hybl is a two-time president of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, two-time chair of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy and was the United States Representative to the 56th General Assembly of the United Nations. He is executive chairman of the El Pomar Foundation, chairman of the Board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and was a civilian aide of the Secretary of the Army.
Architects HOK and RTA designed the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center, which is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. J.E. Dunn was the general contractor.