Colorado Mesa University announced today, March 2, that it has renamed North Avenue Hall after Bernice and Levi Lucero, lifelong advocates of the university and the community it resides in.

“I will say to you that we name things on this campus for people who certainly lived, worked here — for a long period of time — and people who have been generous to this institution,” CMU President Tim Foster said in his opening remarks. “And in this instance, people who have been generous to this community.”

The Luceros, along with the rest of their family and Foster, unveiled the new sign on the north side of the building.

“As you can see, my wife and I are both so overwhelmed for you to have taken this time to join us here today for this special occasion,” Levi Lucero said. 

“We are grateful to have all our family here,” Bernice Lucero said, overwhelmed with emotion and tearing up. “In my heart, I have a sincere appreciation.”

Lucero thanked those who spoke at the event as well as thanked Foster for the growth he has provided to the university.

During the 30-minute ceremony, multiple came to the microphone to speak on behalf of the Luceros including the former chairman of the CMU trustees, Dan Robinson.

Grand Junction Mayor Rick Taggart, who used to serve as Mesa’s executive director of marketing and recruitment, recalled two instances where he “let Levi down.”

Once, when then Mesa State College was looking for a name change, Levi presented the name “Grand Mesa University.” Taggart believed the new name needed to include “Colorado.”

“I apologize for letting you down,” Taggart said. “Because it was very, very well done.”

Taggart also said he let Levi down during the University Boulevard controversy. 

“I thought we could push that forward and we didn’t,” Taggart said. “I sincerely apologize.”

Taggart joked that he couldn’t screw up this name change, eliciting laughs from the audience.

The five-story Lucero Hall can house 304 students in its suites and hosts a variety of businesses on the first floor.

“In addition to their civic work — including helping form the Grand Junction Housing Authority and active participation in the Grand Junction Planning Commission — Levi and Bernice have been long-time supporters of the university,” CMU said in a press release Thursday. “CMU is proud to recognize two pillars of our community and their significant contributions to the Grand Valley by changing the name of North Avenue Hall to Lucero Hall in their honor.”

The decision was passed by the CMU Board of Trustees back in December of last year, but the university was able to keep it under wraps as a surprise for the couple.

Levi Lucero, the 86-year-old key advocate of the now-scrapped University Boulevard, became a contentious figure during the debate.

Lucero argued for renaming North Avenue as a show of support for the growing university and the Grand Junction City Council passed the change in August of 2017.

Lucero had been pursuing the name change for years.

However, opposition forces within the community protested the change, citing the costs for businesses on the road to accommodate such a name change.

Many oppositional community members wrote angry letters, formed conspiracy theories in Facebook groups and targeted Lucero and city council members.

“There’s a lot of misinformation that’s been passed out to the citizens,” Lucero said in October at the final city council meeting on the issue. “I don’t know what’s made you so angry, and the name calling and so forth.”

Foster mentioned the controversy in passing during his opening remarks of the ceremony.

“I can tell you, with great certainty, that Levi Lucero has probably suffered through more disparaging comments than any of us total in this room,” Foster said. “And yet, I challenge you to match his optimism and his upbeat nature.”

Beyond the University Boulevard snafu, Lucero has lived an eventful life in Grand Junction. Levi has been a printer at the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, a real estate investor and served with the Grand Junction Housing Authority and Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce.

During his time at the Sentinel, Lucero had enrolled at classes at the then Mesa Junior College. He’s been with the school ever since.

Along with the new sign, the university dedicated a plaque to the Luceros inside the residence hall.

“You all are what makes this community so special,” Levi Lucero said.