Q2 2024

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Since opening the West Security Checkpoint in early February, the Great Hall team has primarily focused construction on the second state-of-the-art security checkpoint that will further transform the security screening experience. The East Security Checkpoint, scheduled to open by the end of 2025, sits directly across from the West Security Checkpoint on Level 6 and will also consist of 17 screening lanes with the latest technology.

Although most of the construction is taking place behind construction walls, passengers who have completed the screening process at the West Security Checkpoint can get a glimpse of the new 40-foot deck extension on the east side. Similar to the West Security Checkpoint, this area will become the re-composure area of the new East Security Checkpoint. This is the area where passengers who have been successfully screened can gather their belongings and put on their shoes and belts before heading to their gate.

Photos of Level 5 and Level 6 East Security Checkpoint Deck Extension Process

In addition to the 40-foot extension on the east, the project is also adding 27 feet to the northeast side of the terminal. In total, approximately 12,300 sq. ft. is being added to provide additional circulation space for passengers moving through security. That is equivalent to just over 2.5 full-size basketball courts, which is no small feat to construct in an active terminal serving more than 70 million passengers a year.

Let’s take a closer look at the steps it takes to build each deck extension:

Steel Installation Process – Step 1: Set steel beams, Step 2: Weld/bolt steel beams into place, Step 3: Install metal decking and attach to steel, Step 4: Pour concrete deck

Due to the extent of the work, most activities took place in the overnight hours to reduce impacts to passengers and airport operations. For example, all the steel beams were delivered at night and rolled into the terminal one piece at a time using dollies. The concrete was also poured over two nights for the east extension and one night for the northeast extension. To pour the concrete, crews pumped the concrete into the terminal from the concrete trucks parked curbside. For each concrete pour, it took approximately 40 workers to ensure a quality pour.

Brendan Jur, project superintendent at Hensel Phelps (HP), has been instrumental in leading two projects within the Great Hall Program:

• The Baggage Claim Refresh Project which upgrades the ceiling, lighting and fixtures and replaces the flooring with new carpet
• Level 4 Hotel and Transit Center (HTC) build out, which includes the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA)

With 15 years at HP, and an emphasis on fostering a collaborative and positive work environment, Brendan’s leadership and experience has proven valuable as he helps the team deliver complex projects and much needed improvements to the Jeppesen Terminal.

Raised in the picturesque city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Brendan eventually relocated to the United States to attend Arizona State University. After graduating in 2008 with a degree in Construction Management, he took the first job in his professional career with HP and never looked back.

In October 2023, Brendan transitioned to his current role at DEN after completing a construction project in downtown Denver. His contributions to the Great Hall Program will play a pivotal role in enabling DEN to accommodate more than 100 million passengers in the near future while creating business and career opportunities for our community.

On a day-to-day basis, Brendan’s responsibilities include construction logistics, stakeholder coordination, trade partner management, safety management, scheduling and quality control. These responsibilities are essential to ensuring construction activities are conducted efficiently and without significant impacts to passengers or airport operations. He is a jack of all trades, and has emerged as an exemplary role model at DEN and HP.

Brendan is happily married to his wife, Jami, and is the proud father of his daughter Lincoln Louise. When he's not at the airport, Brendan enjoys spending time outdoors, engaging in activities such as camping, hiking, precision shooting, and embarking on motorcycle adventures. He also finds joy in off-roading, using his skills to develop GPS routes and navigate rugged terrain on his motorcycle.

With upwards of 70 million passengers passing through DEN annually and more than 30,000 employees, it’s no small feat to ensure airlines, passengers and employees can reach their destinations and maintain successful operations throughout construction. Formally known as Communication Infrastructure Group, CIG Public Relations does just that! Specializing in public relations and public information in the transportation and infrastructure realm, CIG plays a vital role in the Great Hall Program.

CIG has been with the Great Hall Program since the beginning of the project in 2018. They have worked side by side with the stakeholder engagement team, developing communications, conducting outreach with airlines and DEN stakeholders, and supporting program milestones.

Laurie Meza, CEO and principal, notes that the company has worked at the airport for more than a decade, during which they have seen annual passenger volumes increase by more than 30 million. That doesn’t scare CIG; in fact, it’s their favorite part. “It’s amazing to see the growth of not only DEN but the city of Denver. We are proud to have been a part of it since the early days.”

Laurie started with CIG at its founding in 2005 and, in 2020, became part of the owner duo that runs the show alongside Kristi Estes, CEO and principal. Currently, they have 35 full-time employees. CIG revels in the fact that they can be a part of a project that absolutely everyone who has flown in or out of Denver has seen first-hand and shares that “for our DEN staff, the airport is their home away from home.”

In 2010, CIG entered the aviation industry by working on their first project at DEN, the Hotel and Transit Center. Since then, their team has worked on numerous improvement projects at the airport, including temporary wayfinding, the Gate Expansion Program, 5.5 Baggage Handling System, Peña Boulevard and supporting DEN’s business outreach programs. Pictured below are the current CIG team members who support the Great Hall Program.

Photo 1: Vestibule 601 progress; Photo 2: Vestibule 502 flooring completion; Photo 3: Passenger corridor outside East Security Checkpoint; Photo 4: Level 5, MOD 2 East, Baggage Claim Refresh progress; Photo 5: East Security Checkpoint future screening lanes

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DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

8500 Peña Blvd., 8500 Peña Blvd.,

Denver, CO 80247