The
Air
Force
Academy
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
(Building
880)
is
located
in
the
northeast
quadrant
of
the
former
Lowry
Air
Force
Base
in
Aurora,
Colorado.
The
building
is
one
of
seven
still
standing
that
are
historically
associated
with
the
interim
Air
Force
Academy
that
operated
on
the
base
during
1955-58.
Lowry,
established
in
1937,
is
currently
being
redeveloped
for
residential,
retail,
and
public
uses.
The
block
on
which
Building
880
is
located
was
once
filled
with
rectangular
cadet
dormitories
surrounding
a
central
open
space.
Building
880,
which
faces
southwest,
stands
alone
at
the
southern
end
of
its
block.
The
recently
rehabilitated
1942
building
is
distinguished
by
its
H-shaped
plan.
The
one-story
frame
building
has
horizontal
board
drop
siding
with
corner
boards,
a
gabled
roof
with
composition
roofing
and
overhanging
eaves,
eight-over-eight-light
doublehung
sash
windows,
and
a
concrete
block
foundation
(Photograph
1).
A
multi-story
brick
chimney,
stepped
out
from
the
center
of
the
façade,
is
a
distinguishing
feature.
The
building
now
serves
as
a
community
center
for
the
City
of
Aurora
and
houses
a
preschool,
before/after
school
child
care
center,
and
adult
day
care
facility.
Of
the
extant
buildings
associated
with
the
Academy,
the
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
retains
the
highest
degree
of
historic
physical
integrity
and
is
considered most representative of the cadet era on the base.
Last Updated: 01/07/2018
Commandant of Cadets Building
Building 880
Building 880
[GPS N39°43'47.69", W104°52'40.65”]
The
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
(Building
880)
has
a
national
level
of
significance
under
Criterion
A
in
the
area
of
Military
as
the
most
intact
remaining
resource
associated
with
the
original
site
of
the
United
States
Air
Force
Academy
at
Lowry
Air
Force
Base
during
1955-58.
While
the
permanent
home
of
the
Air
Force
Academy
was
under
construction
north
of
Colorado
Springs,
a
portion
of
Lowry
in
Aurora,
Colorado,
served
as
its
interim
home
for
the
first
three
classes
of
cadets.
Dedication
of
the
school
in
July
1955
marked
the
first
creation
of
a
major
military
academy
in
the
country
since
1845.
Founding
of
the
Academy
followed
the
designation
of
the
U.S.
Air
Force
as
a
separate branch of the military in 1947 and marked recognition of the importance of air power in the Cold War era.
Housed
in
refurbished
World
War
II
era
frame
buildings,
the
first
three
classes
at
the
new
institution
began
their
education
at
Lowry
Air
Force
Base.
Young
lieutenants
known
as
“Air
Training
Officers”
served
as
upper
classmen
(Air
Training
Officers)
through
the
summer
of
1957.
While
at
Lowry
many
of
the
fundamental
traditions
of
the
“West
Point
of
the
Air”
were
inaugurated,
including
a
cadet
honor
code
and
class
system,
adherence
to
rigorous
academic
standards,
adoption
of
the
falcon
mascot,
and
participation
in
intercollegiate
athletics.
President
Eisenhower
wrote
of
the
importance
of
the
Academy’s
pioneer
class
in
influencing
the
direction
of
the
institution:
“The
standards
of
intellect,
obedience
and
leadership
which
have
been
established
by
the
Class
of
1959
will
bear
strongly
upon
the
growth of future tradition.”
The
survival
of
Building
880
as
a
representative
of
the
Academy
at
Lowry
AFB
is
particularly
fitting,
as
it
housed
the
Commandant
of
Cadets,
who
was
responsible
for
airmanship,
military,
and
physical
training,
including
the
development
of
such
traits
as
leadership,
character,
and
ethics
that
would
mold
the
cadets
into
Air
Force
officers.
Maj.
Gen.
Harold
W.
“Pete”
Todd
(retired),
a
member
of
the
first
graduating
class,
observed
that
the
Commandant’s
building
was
“the
Citadel
of
Honor,
the
place
where
the
true
core
of
the
Air
Force
Academy
lay,”
which
uniquely
embodied “the essence of the training in character, discipline, and integrity at the fledgling Academy.”
#1.
The
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
(Building
880)
is
the
H-shaped
building
in
the
foreground
pictured
in
this
c.
1955-56
oblique
aerial
photograph
(view
northwest).
SOURCE:
U.S.
Air
Force
Academy
Library,
photographic
collection,
provided through National Registry documentation, Figure 1.
#2.
Figure
10.
Between
1983
and
1994,
the
Lowry
Heritage
Center
occupied
Building
880,
shown
here
in
a
1980s
view.
SOURCE:
Aurora
History
Museum,
photographic
collection,
provided
through
National
Registry
documentation,
Figure 10.
#3. Building 880, August 2017.
![The Commandant of Cadets Building 880, 1955-56. [USAF Academy Library]](index_htm_files/108989.png)
![1980's view of Building 880, as the Lowry Heritage Center (1983-1994). [Aurora History Museum]](index_htm_files/108990.png)
![Building 880, August 2017. [George Blood]](index_htm_files/108991.png)
![Building 880 Repurposed. [George Blood]](index_htm_files/108992.png)
#4.
Building
880,
once
the
USAF
Academy’s
Commandant
of
Cadet’s
Building,
has
been
repurposed
into
housing
several
new
endeavors,
including
the
Lowry
Intergenerational
Center,
the
Morning
Star
Adult
Day
Program,
and
a
Lowry
Preschool.
It
was
assigned
a
new
address
with
the
closure
of
Lowry
in
1994:
1016
Boston Street.
1016 Boston Street
Aurora, CO
Commandant of Cadets
Building 880
Building 880
The
Air
Force
Academy
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
(Building
880)
is
located
in
the
northeast
quadrant
of
the
former
Lowry
Air
Force
Base
in
Aurora,
Colorado.
The
building
is
one
of
seven
still
standing
that
are
historically
associated
with
the
interim
Air
Force
Academy
that
operated
on
the
base
during
1955-58.
Lowry,
established
in
1937,
is
currently
being
redeveloped
for
residential,
retail,
and
public
uses.
The
block
on
which
Building
880
is
located
was
once
filled
with
rectangular
cadet
dormitories
surrounding
a
central
open
space.
Building
880,
which
faces
southwest,
stands
alone
at
the
southern
end
of
its
block.
The
recently
rehabilitated
1942
building
is
distinguished
by
its
H-shaped
plan.
The
one-story
frame
building
has
horizontal
board
drop
siding
with
corner
boards,
a
gabled
roof
with
composition
roofing
and
overhanging
eaves,
eight-over-eight-light
doublehung
sash
windows,
and
a
concrete
block
foundation
(Photograph
1).
A
multi-story
brick
chimney,
stepped
out
from
the
center
of
the
façade,
is
a
distinguishing
feature.
The
building
now
serves
as
a
community
center
for
the
City
of
Aurora
and
houses
a
preschool,
before/after
school
child
care
center,
and
adult
day
care
facility.
Of
the
extant
buildings
associated
with
the
Academy,
the
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
retains
the
highest
degree
of
historic
physical
integrity
and
is
considered
most
representative
of
the
cadet
era on the base.
The
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
(Building
880)
has
a
national
level
of
significance
under
Criterion
A
in
the
area
of
Military
as
the
most
intact
remaining
resource
associated
with
the
original
site
of
the
United
States
Air
Force
Academy
at
Lowry
Air
Force
Base
during
1955-58.
While
the
permanent
home
of
the
Air
Force
Academy
was
under
construction
north
of
Colorado
Springs,
a
portion
of
Lowry
in
Aurora,
Colorado,
served
as
its
interim
home
for
the
first
three
classes
of
cadets.
Dedication
of
the
school
in
July
1955
marked
the
first
creation
of
a
major
military
academy
in
the
country
since
1845.
Founding
of
the
Academy
followed
the
designation
of
the
U.S.
Air
Force
as
a
separate
branch
of
the
military
in
1947
and
marked
recognition of the importance of air power in the Cold War era.
Housed
in
refurbished
World
War
II
era
frame
buildings,
the
first
three
classes
at
the
new
institution
began
their
education
at
Lowry
Air
Force
Base.
Young
lieutenants
known
as
“Air
Training
Officers”
served
as
upper
classmen
(Air
Training
Officers)
through
the
summer
of
1957.
While
at
Lowry
many
of
the
fundamental
traditions
of
the
“West
Point
of
the
Air”
were
inaugurated,
including
a
cadet
honor
code
and
class
system,
adherence
to
rigorous
academic
standards,
adoption
of
the
falcon
mascot,
and
participation
in
intercollegiate
athletics.
President
Eisenhower
wrote
of
the
importance
of
the
Academy’s
pioneer
class
in
influencing
the
direction
of
the
institution:
“The
standards
of
intellect,
obedience
and
leadership
which
have
been
established
by
the
Class
of
1959
will
bear
strongly
upon
the
growth
of
future tradition.”
The
survival
of
Building
880
as
a
representative
of
the
Academy
at
Lowry
AFB
is
particularly
fitting,
as
it
housed
the
Commandant
of
Cadets,
who
was
responsible
for
airmanship,
military,
and
physical
training,
including
the
development
of
such
traits
as
leadership,
character,
and
ethics
that
would
mold
the
cadets
into
Air
Force
officers.
Maj.
Gen.
Harold
W.
“Pete”
Todd
(retired),
a
member
of
the
first
graduating
class,
observed
that
the
Commandant’s
building
was
“the
Citadel
of
Honor,
the
place
where
the
true
core
of
the
Air
Force
Academy
lay,”
which
uniquely
embodied
“the
essence
of
the
training
in character, discipline, and integrity at the fledgling Academy.”
#1.
The
Commandant
of
Cadets
Building
(Building
880)
is
the
H-shaped
building
in
the
foreground
pictured
in
this
c.
1955-56
oblique
aerial
photograph
(view
northwest).
SOURCE:
U.S.
Air
Force
Academy
Library,
photographic
collection,
provided
through National Registry documentation, Figure 1.
#2.
Figure
10.
Between
1983
and
1994,
the
Lowry
Heritage
Center
occupied
Building
880,
shown
here
in
a
1980s
view.
SOURCE:
Aurora
History
Museum,
photographic
collection,
provided through National Registry documentation, Figure 10.
#3. Building 880, August 2017.
![The Commandant of Cadets Building 880, 1955-56. [USAF Academy Library]](index_htm_files/109012.jpg)
![1980's view of Building 880, as the Lowry Heritage Center (1983-1994). [Aurora History Museum]](index_htm_files/109013.jpg)
![Building 880, August 2017. [George Blood]](index_htm_files/117102.jpg)
![Building 880 Repurposed. [George Blood]](index_htm_files/109015.jpg)
#4.
Building
880,
once
the
USAF
Academy’s
Commandant
of
Cadet’s
Building,
has
been
repurposed
into
housing
several
new
endeavors,
including
the
Lowry
Intergenerational
Center,
the
Morning
Star
Adult
Day
Program,
and
a
Lowry
Preschool.
It
was
assigned
a
new
address
with
the
closure
of
Lowry in 1994: 1016 Boston Street.
1016 Boston Street
Aurora, CO 80230
[GPS N39°43'47.69", W104°52'40.65”]
Last Updated: 01/07/2018
