Q2 2022

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We could not capture a photo of everyone but take a look at some of the smiling faces from numerous teams on various projects here at the airport. 

Construction is a vast career field with a variety of opportunities, but women make up only 10% of this workforce in the U.S. However, DEN is doing its part to highlight and support the women who work on projects at the airport, such as the Great Hall Project.

Earlier this year we celebrated Women in Construction Week and Women's History month but one week is not enough time to recognize all the hardworking women who contribute to making DEN one of the best airports in the world. We want to extend a thank you to all the women who directly and indirectly support this project and others from construction management, engineering, design and more. The success of every project at DEN relies on the diligent women who show up and continue to grow their careers in this field.

Although much of the construction work is taking place behind construction walls, work on Phase 2 of the Great Hall Project is advancing quickly and great progress has been made!

Currently, crews are working to install a triple escalator that will eventually take passengers directly from the new security checkpoint on Level 6 to the Level 4 train platform to catch the train to the gates. This triple escalator is exactly what it sounds like, three escalators side by side to create an efficient way to move large numbers of passengers from security to the train platform at one time!

Construction walls installed on the Level 4 departures platform to facilitate the installation of new triple escalator.

This work has brought some other changes that passengers might notice during their time at DEN. The North Security Checkpoint that serves all PreCheck passengers has reduced hours from 4 a.m.- 8 p.m. daily to allow crews time to install the massive steel beams that support the new triple escalator. The South Security Checkpoint remains the 24-hour security checkpoint for passengers and employees. When the North Security Checkpoint is closed, travelers with TSA PreCheck can go through an expedited screening process at the South Security Checkpoint. For updated security wait times and status, visit DEN’s website and plan ahead.

The new security checkpoint on Level 6 will be more efficient to support DEN’s growth and provide a more secure and efficient environment for travelers to pass through the checkpoint. Right now, crews are working to complete the extended balcony that will become the new post-security area for passengers — installing more than 200 tons of steel and 300 cubic yards of concrete to extend Level 6 and make room for the new checkpoint. This extension will add 10,000 square feet to the Jeppesen Terminal that is necessary for DEN to keep up with continued passenger demand and growth.

Construction on the new checkpoint on the northwest side of Level 6 is expected to be complete in Q1 2024. DEN is excited about this progress and looks forward to being able to serve our passengers more efficiently and provide a smooth, enjoyable airport experience for all.

Conceptual rendering of new triple escalator coming from Level 6, through Level 5 in center of Jeppesen Terminal and down to the Level 4 train platform as part of Phase 2 of the Great Hall Project. 

Airline Check In Spaces 

Construction walls are in place at the southeast and southwest end of Level 6 where Southwest and United Airlines previously operated before moving into their new check-in lobbies in the center of the Jeppesen Terminal. Their old check-in areas will be used by other airlines that will be moved to make way for construction of the new Level 6 security checkpoint.

Construction walls installed on the east side of Level 6 at the south end of the Jeppesen Terminal to support airline relocation construction activities.

Baggage Service Offices

Construction walls are also installed on the north and south ends of Level 5 in the alcove spaces across from active baggage claims. These enclosures, or construction boxes, are in place to build new temporary Baggage Service Offices (BSO) for airlines at DEN. These offices are used by individual airlines to help with customer service and passenger needs.

By relocating the BSOs, DEN can create temporary, usable space for our airline partners while work throughout the terminal continues. Once these new spaces are built, each airline will move into their new temporary BSO location, and the old BSOs will be closed. These moves help our airline partners maintain their operations throughout construction at the airport. For example, as the Great Hall team builds out the new security checkpoint on Level 6 in the northwest area of the terminal (as part of Phase 2), BSO spaces below on Level 5 would be disrupted by a heavy amount of construction happening right above them. Moving BSO locations for our airlines ensures that they have an efficient space to continue operating normally and creates the best experience for their passengers as construction progresses throughout the terminal.

Baggage Service Office (BSO) Relocation construction walls that are installed at both the north and south ends of the Jeppesen Terminal on the east and west sides of Level 5.

This work is anticipated to go through July 2022. Until then, operations will continue as normal, and airlines will use their current BSO locations on Level 5.

Changes like these are necessary as DEN prepares for future terminal modifications, airline relocations, and upcoming Great Hall Project phases. All of these smaller projects work together to keep the Great Hall Project moving forward and address the needs of DEN’s Vision 100 strategic plan. As our airport continues to grow, it is projects like these that ensure our operations, facilities and infrastructure serve passengers for many years to come.

The Great Hall Project is critical to DEN’s future as passenger traffic is expected to reach 100 million passengers in the next 8-10 years. Ultimately, the project will create a safer, more efficient experience for passengers and provide the space for our airlines to grow. Learn more about this important project in this new Great Hall Project video.

Jerry Deal, with Advanced Professional Security, on the Level 4 departures

platform assisting passengers around Great Hall Project construction walls.

The Great Hall Project is a major undertaking at DEN, and so is assisting passengers with construction impacts. Advanced Professional Security (APS), a certified Small, Minority and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (SBE, MBE and DBE), has been a partner working on the project since Phase 1. This group provides an unparalleled service to passengers traveling through DEN during construction, helping people find their way.

If you have walked through the terminal and needed help finding your way around a construction wall, it was most likely an APS agent who helped you along the way.

You may have even been lucky enough to have Jerry Deal help you out. Jerry started at DEN with APS in August 2021. He has worked on many projects and in many areas of the airport including the Gate Expansion Program and the Great Hall Project. Before coming to APS, Jerry spent 18 years with the Colorado Department of Corrections and served as a Law Enforcement Officer and a Fugitive Recovery Agent. You can say that security has always been a big component of Jerry’s life.

Jerry Deal, with Advanced Security Professionals, showing passengers arriving at DEN to the nearest exit from the train platform.

DEN and the Great Hall Project are pleased to recognize Jerry for all of his hard work in the Jeppesen Terminal. As construction progresses, we rely on team members like Jerry to keep passengers and employees informed as they make their journey through DEN. Thank you, Jerry, for all of your dedication and positivity on this project. We know if Jerry is on the job, it will be a productive, safe and fun day on the Great Hall Project. 

Students from Legacy Options and George Washington high schools tour the Great Hall Project with construction management sub-consultant, Shrewsberry.

Here at DEN, we are always looking for ways to inspire the next generation. Recently, the Great Hall Project had the opportunity to host students from Legacy Options, George Washington and Denver South high schools who are interested in pursuing careers in engineering and construction related fields. The visit was facilitated through the Xplore Industry Exploration Program and CareerConnect Internship Program. DEN was honored to host the students in conjunction with construction management sub-consultant Shrewsberry, who are a part of DEN’s Project Management Team. During the visit, students were shown what careers in construction, engineering and design can entail on a large-scale project like the Great Hall.

From a tour of Phase 1 spaces that opened late last year, to a journey behind the construction walls to see the current construction on Phase 2, students received a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into building a project of this magnitude.

After the tour, students shared their favorite parts of the project process, which included:

• The foundation of what is being built and the thought that goes into every detail. 
• What goes into changing one small aspect of the building process and how that impacts the overall operations and end results.
• How to keep passengers coming through the airport and partners who rely on keeping the airport operational throughout construction.
• Finding solutions for utilizing the existing structure of the airport versus building something new from the ground up.

To create more workforce engagement opportunities, DEN has announced the delivery of a Center of Excellence and Equity in Aviation as part of the Completion Phase of the Great Hall Project. This center will foster an environment of innovation and improvement that will bring more real-life experiences like this to students who are interested in careers in aviation or jobs such as those on the Great Hall Project. Stay tuned for more information as DEN continues to design our new Center of Excellence!

Pikes Peak Steel

Founded in 1993, Pikes Peak Steel, a Small, Women and Disadvantaged-Owned Business Enterprise (SBE, WBE and DBE), has served Colorado for nearly 30 years. In that time, the company has supplied clients from homebuilders to commercial contractors with various steel fabrication services while growing from 18 to more than 30 employees. 

Pikes Peak Steel prides itself on building a culture driven by safety. The company has received multiple safety recognitions and awards in the industry, including OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) and Pinnacol Assurance's Circle of Safety Award. SHARP recognizes small business employers who have demonstrated exemplary safety practices, and the Circle of Safety Award is given to fewer than 1% of Pinnacol Assurance members.

Constructing a project like the Great Hall is a significant undertaking, and steel plays a vital role in Phase 2, which will complete the build-out of a new security checkpoint on the northwest end of Level 6. This work includes extending the balcony on Level 6 and constructing a new triple escalator to move passengers from the new security checkpoint down to the train platform. Pikes Peak Steel will supply 200 tons of steel to support these efforts — that's the equivalent weight of nearly 10 Boeing 737 airplanes!

Strong foundations are equally crucial for relationships as they are for building structures. Fostering positive relationships with DEN over the last 12 years has been critical in Pikes Peak Steel’s success in working with the airport and on the Great Hall Project. Having a history with DEN helps them produce better quality work resulting in a better experience for all. 

Pikes Peak Steel is proud to work with DEN and the partners involved in constructing new terminal elements to serve passenger needs and help make DEN an even better airport!

Group14 Engineering

Small, Women and Disadvantaged-Owned Business Enterprise (SBE, WBE and DBE) partners like Group14 Engineering play a vital role in reducing the carbon footprint of projects at DEN. This work is at the core of what matters to DEN and how the airport strives to be as sustainable as possible.

For Group14 Engineering, energy modeling and efficiency have been the driving forces behind its work over the last 30 years. Originally founded under the name Enermodal Engineering, Inc. by Sue Reilly in 1992, the company has grown from just three to over 50 employees since its inception. This past year, Celeste Cizik was named CEO and president of Group14 and shares the company’s passion for sustainability in the built environment. 

The company began with a focus on energy modeling and sustainability, consulting for new construction projects. Today, it has expanded to provide a wide variety of energy and sustainability consulting services across the entire lifecycle of buildings, including sustainable design, energy efficiency, building commissioning and green building certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and WELL.

Group14 made its way to DEN through a sustainability contract on the Great Hall Project to pursue LEED certifications. The company’s focus has been to help DEN identify energy-saving opportunities throughout the airport, extending beyond the Great Hall to include DEN’s Gate Expansion Program as well. This involvement supports DEN’s sustainability goal of becoming the greenest airport in the world – a guiding principle for the airport’s Vision 100 strategic plan.

Group14’s commitment to the environment and the growing need for its services have helped the team expand its client base over the last three decades. Outside of the airport, Group14’s work is associated with iconic Denver buildings and landmarks such as the Denver Art Museum, National Western Center, City and County of Denver, and Denver Public Schools.

DEN is thankful to firms such as Group14 Engineering for their expertise in helping us achieve our sustainability goals. Through sustainable design and processes such as those on the Great Hall Project, we can continue to implement long-term solutions as we reach Vision 100.

Photo 1 - Level 6 southeast area, progress on new interim ticketing spaces to accommodate upcoming airline relocations to enable continued Great Hall Project construction. Photo 2 - Level 5, west side near baggage claims 14, 15 and 16, new curbside escalators being installed. Photo 3 - Level 6 northwest area, Phase 2 progress where new security checkpoint will be constructed. Photo 4 - Level 5 construction progress where future triple escalator will be installed.

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DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

8500 Peña Blvd., 8500 Peña Blvd.,

Denver, CO 80247