A nearly 15-acre site in Stapleton has been selected for this year’s Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge.

Student teams from the University of Colorado and the University of Denver will evaluate development opportunities to create projects for the RK Mechanical Inc. site at 3800 Xanthia St. The project is composed of four separate parcels, presenting an opportunity for challenge participants to envision and design a transit-oriented development in the Stapleton neighborhood. The challenge is sponsored by Land Title Guarantee Co. and NAIOP Colorado.

“As Denver continues growing at unprecedented levels, the site for this year’s Challenge represents a perfect location for students to work with a real-world scenario for putting all of the development pieces together on an infill project in one of the state’s most sought-after communities in the major metropolitan area,” NAIOP organizing committee Chairman Luke Davidson said in a statement. “To be successful in this year’s competition, students will need to pay attention to detail and really think big about what possibilities are available for this ... location.”

Student finalists will present recommendations to RK and an audience of more than 750 real estate professionals during a May 3 event. Tickets for the event, which will be held at the Hilton Denver City Center downtown, will go on sale in early February.

RK is one of the region’s largest suppliers of construction, manufacturing and service solutions. The company’s goal is for students to create a vision and development of the site that will maximize the value of the real estate.

“RK is proud to help students in the University of Colorado and University of Denver’s graduate real estate programs hone their creative and analytical skills through this challenge,” RK Chief Operating Officer Jon Kinning said in the statement. “These students have a rare opportunity to impact real-world business decisions, and we’re thrilled that our property will be the focus of their development ideas.”