DENVER – Denver International Airport on Thursday announced the design firm and construction general contractor that it has selected to oversee the remainder of the Phase I construction on the Great Hall Project, pending city council approval.
DIA picked Stantec as the lead design firm and Hensel Phelps as the construction manager and general contractor for Phase I. Stantec will also complete the design for the entire remainder of the Great Hall Project should the council approve the pick, the airport said, but the main construction contractor for the next phases have not been selected.
The airport ended its contract with Great Hall Partners in August amid a series of delays and disputes.
The airport said the two companies were chosen because of their presence in the Denver area and familiarity with Denver. It said both already have existing contracts with the airport.
Much of Phase I involves the construction of airline ticket pods in the center of the Terminal on Level 6, in addition to new bathrooms and baggage transportation.
“Both Stantec and Hensel Phelps were selected because of their commitment to these values while also bringing thoughtful proposals with creative cost-savings ideas to the table,” airport CEO Kim Day said in a statement. “We are pushing ahead so we can get back to work on the Great Hall project with our new partners.”
The airport said that Stantec would be reviewing existing designs and looking to identify points that can be modified to save money and improve designs so construction can continue. Hensel Phelps will then be the main builder for Phase I.
The airport said that the airport’s partner airlines and Denver’s director of the Division of Small Business Opportunity were involved in the selection process.
The two companies will start looking at the site on Nov. 13 – a day after the airport takes control of the project back from Great Hall Partners. Gilmore Construction and Blue Sky Vendors will provide some construction services during the transition, the airport said.
The airport said it has not finalized a total cost for Phase I of the project but said it was committed to keeping the entire Great Hall Project at or under the original $770 million budget.
The new contract amendments will be introduced in the Denver City Council’s Business, Arts, Workforce and Aviation Services Committee on Nov. 6. If it passes, it will head to the full council. The airport said it hopes to have council approval by the end of the year.