Robert Sides
The Ramspondents
One of Colorado State University’s fraternities is in the first stages of building a new mixed use building.
The Farmhouse Fraternity, located at 633 W. Lake St., is the site of a plan to erect a five-story mixed-use apartment building. The building will include space for the fraternity, as well as student apartments, underground parking and other amenities.
The new building will be 192,000 square feet, expanding upon the existing building’s 9,100 square feet.
The current property was built in 1965, and was purchased by the Farmhouse fraternity in 1969, according to a building application filed by applicant Christopher Willette. A conceptual review was held Aug. 14. The description of the application reads “The applicant is proposing a 5-story mixed-use building containing student-living apartments and a fraternity with amenity spaces to support each use. The project contains amenity rooftop spaces at levels 2 & 5 and 1-story underground parking. Access can be taken from W Lake St.”
Neither the applicant, nor the city of Fort Collins, responded to the Ramspondents as of Sept. 24. The project is being guided largely by the Farmhouse fraternity’s alumni association. The association cites the age of the property as the primary reason for the project.
Although CSU’s chapter of Farmhouse declined to speak to the Ramspondents, its alumni association responded via email.
“The FarmHouse Association—our collective of alumni who own the current land and house—has been thoughtfully exploring options for a new chapter facility to secure FarmHouse’s future at CSU,” the email reads. “Our current home, now 60 years old, has served us well, but it has reached the point where major reinvestment or redevelopment is necessary.”
“Our goal is to preserve a strong and vibrant chapter presence at CSU while providing our young men with a competitive facility where they can live, learn, and grow,” the email reads. “At the same time, we are considering the long-term needs of the real estate market, student housing demand, and the broader Fort Collins community. Our intent is to maintain an active chapter throughout this process and emerge with a stronger organization, equipped with the resources to remain competitive within CSU’s fraternity and sorority community.”
Robert Sides is a second-year student at Colorado State University and a reporter for Rocky Mountain Student Media. He is also the treasurer of CSU’s student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Northern Colorado’s regional bus service is undergoing a change
Calvin Masten
The Ramspondents
An F3 FLEX bus at Fort Collins’ Downtown Transit Center, photographed by Calvin Masten, Sept 24, 2025.
FLEX 1 is out, and COLT is in.
Combining stops in Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder, Transfort’s three FLEX lines allow residents and students to travel up and down Colorado’s northern front range. These bus lines, however, are soon to undergo a change.
Starting in January 2026, the City of Loveland Transit, or COLT, will begin operations.
This bus line will replace Transfort’s FLEX 1 line, which currently can easily take residents from Fort Collins to Loveland, and runs from roughly 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
The route itself will go mostly unchanged; the aspects being modified include the aforementioned name and the cost to ride.
Like all of Transfort’s bus lines, the FLEX lines are fare-free and are free to the riders. However, when FLEX 1 becomes COLT, it will cost $1.25 for a one-way trip. Seniors and individuals with disabilities can ride for $0.60, while Colorado State Students and children can still ride for free.
With FLEX 1’s switch to COLT, that leaves the two other FLEX lines: FLEX 2, which goes from Fort Collins to Longmont, and FLEX 3, which goes from Fort Collins to Boulder.
TransFort Public Engagement Specialist Anna Russo confirmed that FLEX’s Longmont and Boulder lines would be combined into one line, simply called FLEX. This service will include stops in Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder.
Russo also shared that the city of Fort Collins will continue to share updates and changes regarding FLEX and COLT through social media posts, newsletters, website updates, and emails, especially as January draws closer.
Calvin Masten is a third-year Journalism and Media Communication major and Sociology minor at Colorado State University. His fondness for interpersonal stories and human connections drives his enjoyment of writing, editing, and filming.