CREJ - Building Dialogue - March 2016
On Nov. 19, Denver International Airport unveiled a Gensler-designed plaza, Westin hotel and conference center that together transform the airport into a one-of-a-kind travel destination. This project is the realization of DIA’s original 1989 master plan, and it includes three key elements: an 82,000-square-foot, open-air plaza; a 433,000-square-foot Westin hotel and conference center with 519 guest rooms; and a public transit center that will connect commuter rail and busses to the airport, slated to begin rail service in April. These three elements compose a single, integrated project that abuts DIA’s Jeppesen Terminal. Together, they create a new gateway between the airport and its city. The project is owned by Denver International Airport and was built by MHS, a tri-venture comprising contractors Mortenson Hunt and Saunders. The complex project team, led by Gensler, designed the project to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.