Q2 2023

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In 2021, construction began on the northwest portion of Level 6 as part of the Great Hall Program. Since then, crews have been hard at work installing concrete and steel, demolishing obsolete infrastructure and making way for an entirely new security checkpoint. In Q1 2024, passengers will see the construction walls on the northwest side of Level 6 of the Jeppesen Terminal come down to reveal DEN’s new West Security Checkpoint.

This new checkpoint will provide a safer, more efficient security screening experience for passengers. It will include 17 screening lanes including dedicated lanes for TSA PreCheck and Clear passengers. Each lane will be equipped with enhanced technology to improve the screening process.

With the opening of this checkpoint, passengers will be able to move quickly from check-in through security down to the train platform on Level 4 using the new triple escalator. The train will take passengers out to the concourses where they will find their gates and prepare for takeoff!

With the new West Security Checkpoint coming online next year, you may be asking what happens with the existing checkpoints? Shortly after the West Security Checkpoint opens, the North Security Checkpoint on Level 5 will permanently close, allowing crews to expand the balcony on the east side of Level 6. This extended balcony will match that on the west side and will create the post-screening or re-composure area for the East Security Checkpoint, which will open by mid-2026.

The Bridge Security Checkpoint at the north end of Level 6 and the South Security Checkpoint on Level 5 will remain open until the East Security Checkpoint is complete. Once the second new security checkpoint opens on Level 6, Bridge Security and the South Security Checkpoint will permanently close, but passengers will still be able to walk to Concourse A after making their way through one of the new security checkpoints on Level 6.

By moving all security checkpoints to Level 6, we will enhance security and increase capacity while making room for a meet and greet area on the south end of Level 5 with some great restaurants and comfortable seating for passengers and visitors to enjoy.

In case you missed it, here are some conceptual renderings of our new West Security Checkpoint! View all of the renderings of the Great Hall here. You can also view photos of the construction progress below in “Photos of the Quarter.”

Individual vestibules where passengers will queue as they make their way through security.

Post-security on Level 6.

In April, the City of Denver’s Auditor’s Office released its final audit report of the Great Hall Program, which made 10 recommendations focused on three main areas:

• Selection process/contract method
• Oversight of Hensel Phelps and the subcontracting process
• Documentation supporting the program

Overall, we agreed with three of the audit’s 10 recommendations. 

Since assuming control of the construction in late 2019, we completed Phase 1 on time and under budget and started Phase 2 as scheduled. Today, we are nearing the completion of the first new checkpoint with 17 highly efficient lanes that will open in Q1 2024. Additionally, work has already started on the second checkpoint, which will open in 2026. As a result of this progress, passengers are already seeing the benefits with new check-in areas and soon will enjoy the new security checkpoints. DEN is working hard to balance completing this work as fast as possible with completing it with the minimum amount of disruption to DEN’s users, particularly passengers.

One of the focal points of the audit was DEN’s process for selecting Hensel Phelps, the current contractor who was brought on to complete the Great Hall renovations. DEN needed to procure this contractor very quickly because of the short, 90-day handover period provided in the contract with the former developer and because of the need to complete the planned project as quickly as possible. There was no precedent to follow for the termination of the previous developer and transitioning to another delivery model and DEN did not have a procurement process for that.

After considering various options, we made the decision to put our passengers and business partners first. Much of the Jeppesen Terminal was in disarray and highly frustrating for airport users and business partners due to its condition. The center of the terminal was essentially not operational and passengers had to walk outside to traverse the terminal from north to south. Additionally, with a mostly demolished terminal, there were safety concerns for airport users and employees. As a result, we focused on quickly mobilizing a new contractor rather than following a construction delivery method and procurement process that would have taken much longer and delayed re-starting the work. 

The procurement process was not DEN’s typical process because it was expedited, but it was still competitive and followed the City’s procurement requirements. DEN received proposals from three companies and considered them all in depth. By doing so, we were able to more efficiently resume work within a matter of months rather than a year or more, which would have been the case with a traditional procurement. Future emergency procurement processes will need to accommodate similar balancing between urgency and DEN’s standard process. We have shared our ideas with our stakeholders and the Auditor in his follow up.

Additionally, the Auditor’s Office made several recommendations on how to improve our documentation and processes. We recognize that there is always room to improve our processes to enhance efficiency and accountability.

As we revisit the past three years of construction, we are proud of the work we have accomplished on this critical program and know that we made the right decisions to protect Colorado’s economic engine. The program remains on schedule and on budget and DEN is committed to making improvements to our process as we build a terminal of the future that will support 100 million passengers and fuel more economic growth.

You can read DEN’s full response to the audit here.

Recently, the Great Hall Program had an opportunity to connect with future members of the workforce by spending time with students from Denver Public Schools involved in the Xplore Program.

This program provides real world exposure to careers available in a multitude of fields where students can go explore, ask questions and gain insight into various industries. The Great Hall team was able to show this eager group of students the different elements of the program and give them a firsthand look of the improvements coming to the Jeppesen Terminal.

Although not everyone wants to be an engineer or an architect, this intellectual bunch was not short on questions. Partners from different trades — such as plumbing, HVAC services and operations came by to speak about their experience working at the airport and how they got to where they are today.

The Great Hall Program isn’t hard to miss here at DEN, and we look forward to every opportunity we get to talk to folks about what we’re building and how important it is for the state of Colorado.

DEN is a place that fosters growth, and Sally Doles’ career is a great example. After graduating from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2004, Sally moved right into working toward a master’s degree in structural engineering. She graduated from Texas A&M in 2005 and worked as a jack of all trades in engineering consulting and design prior to joining DEN.

Sally started her career at DEN working as the structural subject matter expert for DEN’s Airport Infrastructure Management (AIM) before joining the Special Projects team in December 2021. Recently, Sally has taken on the project manager role for the construction of the East Security Checkpoint. She is excited for the opportunity to expand her skills and her impact as she steps into managing her largest project yet.

Being on the DEN team for five years has provided Sally with great opportunities for career growth. Most recently, she was accepted into the competitive, inaugural LeadershipDEN Program through the new Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA). Sally graduated from the five-month program in May and presented her capstone project that focused on improving the airport’s processes for handing over capital projects once they are complete.

In reflecting on what she learned, Sally shared, “DEN is a very complex environment with a lot of groups that are impacted by individual projects and initiatives. This program helps foster future leaders at DEN by providing us the opportunity to work with and understand the challenges and perspectives of all of the different airport teams.” 

Sally’s advice for someone looking to grow their career in aviation? “Go for it. Believe in yourself and know you deserve to be there. Lean into the opportunities you’re given and ask for what you want.” While she notes that she’s been incredibly fortunate and supported throughout her career, it is Sally’s hard work that allowed her to distinguish herself at DEN. 

While she enjoys math and numbers (she is an engineer after all), Sally’s favorite part of her role with the Great Hall Program is interacting with stakeholders – breaking down the complex work that is taking place so they understand the impacts and the long-term benefits. Sally spends her time outside the airport playing with her dog, reading a good book, skiing and enjoying life with her significant other and three kids. The Great Hall Program is proud to have Sally leading the East Security Checkpoint team.

Studio Completiva began its journey at DEN only a few short years ago in 2019. Teamed up with the prime architect Stantec, Studio Completiva worked on Phases 1 and 2 of the Great Hall Program. Shortly after Phase 1 was completed, the firm was selected to lead the design of DEN’s one-of-a-kind Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA).

Studio Completiva's founding principal, Yong Cho, moved to the United States with his mother and three siblings from Seoul, South Korea when he was 9 years old. He always wanted to be an artist or a sculptor, but his Korean-born parents wanted him to be a doctor or a lawyer. So, Cho came up with what he thought was a good compromise — he’d become an architect. In 1993, Cho visited Denver where he fell in love with the natural environment, the city’s potential and the people. A couple of short years later, Studio Completiva was founded in 1995 with a mission to create positive social impact through responsible design. The firm now has an incredible team of 20 talented designers.

Initially, Studio Completiva built a portfolio of multi-family housing projects — from homeless shelters to high-end high-rises. The team has designed over 1,500 units of affordable housing in Denver and throughout Colorado. Over the years, the firm expanded its project types to encompass civic/institutional projects — working with RTD, Denver Public Schools, the City and County of Denver, and now DEN. As a certified Minority Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and 8(a) with the federal government, Studio Completiva is proud to work on projects that serve the community — including CEEA.

Left to right: PJ Chen, Senior Project Architect; Stephen Edwards, Designer/Drafter; David Begley, Project Manager; Yong Cho, Principal-in-Charge; Ben Nissley, Project Architect; Dane Hardy, Designer/Drafter; Jaimye Martinez-Harris, Designer/Drafter

Missing: Erika Sweigert Nava, Project Architect and Saeed Amirchaghmaghi, Designer/Drafter

"It’s an incredible honor to be part of CEEA and the diversity and inclusion principles that it espouses —developing a skilled workforce of the future that will allow DEN to operate effectively and efficiently during its continued growth,” said Cho.

When it comes to the Great Hall, the Studio Completiva team says their goal was not to be another box for Stantec to check — they wanted to be contributing and proactive partners. And Stantec really heard them. From the beginning, the Studio Completiva team was seamlessly embedded into the Stantec team and was given ownership of design items including the triple escalator enclosure, curbside escalators and the building expansion in Phase 1. Then, it was a perfect match for Studio Completiva to be the lead design firm on CEEA, continuing its core mission of social equity and empowering underserved communities.

The Studio Completiva team attributes their success to being insightful, innovative and having a growth mindset across the board. The team takes on challenges, learns from them, and continuously expands their skills. But what really makes this team stand out is their ability to transform ideas into practical reality. They view their role as architects as being agents of change — and their passion for the craft is evident to anyone who works with the Studio Completiva team. 

Even though this remarkable firm has only been with DEN a few years, all nine team members who work at DEN say they love being part of the inner workings of the airport — creating solutions to make it a more efficient and pleasant environment that helps reduce passengers’ stress during travels, especially as DEN gears up to accommodate 100 million annual passengers in 8-10 years.

The DEN Great Hall renovations are a complex set of chess pieces that the greater team has put a lot of thought and effort into. The Studio Completiva team says they love seeing it all come together and enjoy the progress Hensel Phelps is making every time they are out in the Jeppesen Terminal.

“It’s rewarding to see passengers use the new check-in counters we worked on in Phase 1,” says Cho. “We’re eagerly waiting for people to use the new security system and escalators when Phase 2 is complete!”

Photo 1: Level 6, MOD 1 West post-security with new tile being installed. Photo 2: Level 6, MOD 1 West Security Checkpoint where screening lanes will be installed. Photo 3: Level 5, MOD 1 West with newly finished ceiling and tile. Photo 4: Level 6, MOD 1 West Security Checkpoint prepped for upcoming tile installation.

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DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

8500 Peña Blvd., 8500 Peña Blvd.,

Denver, CO 80247