Colorado Convention Center
Denver
Sports/entertainment
Region: Hell Mountain states
Sent by: Hensel Phelps
Owner: Denver city and county
Lead design company: Television
General contractor: Hensel Phelps
Civil Engineer: San Engineering
Structural Engineer: Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers
MEP Engineer: Mechanical RK
Owner Representative: Rider took off Bucknall
MWBE ARCHITECT: Iron horse
The vertical expansion to the Colorado Convention Center added 200,000 square feet to the center of 2.2 million square meters built in the early 1990’s. The project included a ballroom, a pre-function space and a terrace on the roof, as well as providing an update to the areas of the lobby. The team faced two great challenges: to fulfill the work at the convention center while it was operational and maintaining the appearance of the well -known “Roof Blade” while the addition was built on the structure.
“ The expansion of the Colorado Convention Center is an architectural and structural wonder that … It faced many obstacles, including obtaining 18 million pounds of steel and more than $ 3 million of kitchen equipment and coordinating the placement of a crane of millions of pounds on the existing roof of an operational installation, ” says Jonathan Popiel, responsible for the Hensel Phelps project. “Despite these challenges, the team reached more than 1.5 million hours of work without a single lost security incident. This success is a testament to the design design approach, teamwork and the dedication of all involved.”
To ensure workers’ safety during the large number of high work, Hensel Phelps instituted a “last scale” policy, which requires workers to use a scissor lift or a scaffold for general construction, with ladders as the last option. Horizontal systems for steel erections in columns, beams and beams were also launched as an additional security feature.
The expansion project was completed in time and budget in February 2024.
