Geological Society of America Announces Sale of Boulder Campus Headquarters

Boulder, Colo., USA: The Geological Society of America (GSA) announced today the closing on the sale of its iconic 50-year-old headquarters building and the 4.75 acres at 3300 Penrose Place, on which it is situated in Boulder, Colorado. “The purchase of the campus by local not-for-profit Boulder Housing Partners represents another milestone in GSA’s long history,” said GSA President Barb Dutrow.

GSA will lease back their headquarters building for up to two years while securing new office space along the Rocky Mountain front-range corridor.

Boulder Housing Partners has received approval from the City of Boulder for development of a multi-family residential housing project, with plans that call for saving and repurposing the historical original wing of the building. “That the new owners will preserve the building's unique architecture and that they share a mission-driven philosophy of community service facilitates this transition,” said Dutrow.

View the GSA Concept Plan as presented to the Boulder Planning Board.

GSA’s governing Council ratified the recommendations of an ad hoc Campus Vision Committee in early 2020 to sell the HQ campus after an extensive review of multiple options. The decision was difficult, but with the large and unusual space requiring constant upkeep and extensive upgrades to remain viable into the future, leadership felt it was time for a transition. “Many of us have fond memories of meeting in the building on Penrose Place to chart GSA’s path into the future,” said Dutrow.

The original building was constructed in 1971 when the Society relocated to Boulder from New York State. The unique structure was designed by Art Everett, and is a fine example of the Brutalist style of architectural design, with its dominant use of cast rough aggregate concrete, flat roofs, and deeply recessed vertical tinted glass windows.

With this move, GSA aims to reduce the Society’s carbon footprint, utilize office space more efficiently in the new environment of distributed workplaces, and focus resources on its organizational mission of serving geoscientists. “GSA is in a strong financial position, and the move is designed to ensure that the Society stays vibrant well into the future as a more flexible, efficient, and sustainable organization,” said Dutrow. “We are excited for this new chapter as the Society continues to evolve.”

The Geological Society of America (GSA) (https://www.geosociety.org) unites a diverse community of geoscientists in a common purpose to study the mysteries of our planet (and beyond), and share scientific findings. Members and friends around the world, from academia, government, and industry, participate in GSA meetings, publications, and programs at all career levels, to foster professional excellence. GSA values and supports inclusion through cooperative research, public dialogue on earth issues, science education, and the application of geoscience in the service of humankind.

# # #

For Immediate Release
5 April 2022
GSA Release No. 22-22

Contact:
Christa Stratton
+1-303-357-1093

GSA Building
The recently sold GSA headquarters building, 3300 Penrose Place, Boulder, Colo., 80303, USA.