Headquarters for a New Mission

As the focus changed to environmental cleanup, Building 111 became the headquarters for a new mission and for a public-private partnership among the U.S. Army, Shell Oil Co. and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Called the Remediation Venture Office, or RVO, the partnership was responsible for expediting the safe, timely environmental cleanup and transformation of the site into a premier urban national wildlife refuge, and it was repeatedly cited as a model public-private partnership. Safety was the No. 1 priority of the RVO, and together the organizations and their contractors set new standards in workplace safety, making the Arsenal the first environmental cleanup site to receive the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's highest award in workplace safety. As the environmental cleanup ended, buildings that had fulfilled their use came down, including Building 111. The site now provides sanctuary to more than 330 species of wildlife and a natural oasis for generations to enjoy.

Colorado · United States