Colorado Teams Cultivate Community Spirit with Garden Project

Two BrightView teams in Colorado recently came together to install more than a dozen garden beds at the Mosaic Community Campus, part of a revitalized, affordable housing complex in Denver aimed at supporting local families in need.

The project took root at the former Johnson & Wales University-Denver campus, located just a few blocks east of City Park. After the university closed its doors in 2021, the campus was quickly purchased by a coalition of organizations, including Archway Communities, a nonprofit with a mission to provide affordable housing and supportive services. Founded in 1974, Archway currently owns and manages 12 affordable housing communities across Denver and Colorado Springs.

On the former college grounds, Archway transformed four dormitory buildings into 154 apartments, known as the Mosaic Community Campus. Unique among similar housing programs, Mosaic allows families to stay, even after they surpass income thresholds, giving them the opportunity to grow into long-term financial stability.

“They have all of these different programs in the Mosaic community, some of which teaches nutrition and cooking classes,” said Jessica Durbin, BrightView Senior Vice President. “There’s a childcare piece also; all these resources a family might need is right there on campus.”

The holistic approach to community support made Mosaic the perfect partner for BrightView. Its Denver East Maintenance branch and Colorado Development branch tag-teamed to bring the garden project to life—designing the layout, sourcing donations of plant material, and securing monetary donations. Nicholas Meyers, Denver East Branch Manager, and Robert Rukasin, Colorado Assistant Branch Manager, led the effort on BrightView’s behalf.

A day before the installation, BrightView team members arrived onsite to grade the land and install irrigation, including a centrally-located spigot to make watering easier and accessible for residents. The following day, nearly 30 BrightView volunteers joined forces with additional community members, including the Urban Land Conservancy, Denver Mile High Rotary Club, and even Mosaic residents themselves.

“We had team members from both branches come out, and were also joined by a handful from other local teams,” Durbin said. “Everybody was working alongside each other and meeting new team members, all while supporting this community project. It was just a neat day that really showed the spirit of community service and the power of One BrightView.”

The end result was 19 garden beds, which are now available for residents to sign up for and use to grow their own food. Within 24 hours, every single garden was reserved.

The Mosaic Community Campus has received wide recognition for its innovative approach to affordable housing and community revitalization. In 2025, it earned both the History Colorado Governor’s Award and the Denver Mayor’s Design Award. Additional funding has already been secured to expand the garden project even further.

“We all gained a sense of how we are a part of a bigger community,” Durbin said. “We want to be able to do things like this where we partner not only with our customers, but with our community. It was so incredibly impactful to everyone.”