McCarthy Tapped for Two Major Southwest Airlines Projects at Denver International Airport
As Southwest Airlines continues growing its presence at Denver International Airport (DEN), the airline selected McCarthy as the general contractor for its new general-use building and cargo facility.
As Southwest Airlines continues growing its presence at Denver International Airport (DEN), the airline selected McCarthy Building Companies (McCarthy) as the general contractor for its new general-use building and cargo facility. Earthwork for the general-use building began in summer 2023, ground broke on the cargo facility in late fall, and foundations for both structures are currently underway.
“McCarthy has a wealth of aviation experience spanning the nation,” said Joe Brunsman, senior vice president of McCarthy Building Companies’ Colorado. “We are thrilled to contribute to the continued growth at Denver International alongside our partners at Southwest Airlines in one of its fastest-growing markets.”
The 107,000-square-foot new general-use building is designed by Ghafari and Associates and will have a dual purpose. Part will serve as a maintenance facility for ground service equipment such as trucks and tugs. It will feature a paint booth, maintenance bays with lifts, an internal car wash and training space for Southwest Employees. The other portion of the building will serve as a provisioning warehouse where the airline will store drinks, snacks, ice and other service materials that are loaded onboard aircraft when they fly through DEN. This building will replace an existing facility.
The Burns & McDonnell-designed cargo facility will enhance Southwest’s Cargo handling capabilities. The 28,640-square-foot facility will include a warehouse, a front office drop-off area, and docks to load and unload freight from the airline’s Cargo Customers.
“These projects highlight our long-term growth plans at DEN as we invest in the infrastructure needed to support our growing number of daily operations and the Employees who serve our customers every day of the year,” said Steve Sisneros, Vice President of Airport Affairs at Southwest Airlines. “We appreciate the support from DEN Leadership and the community as we embark on the next phase of our journey of serving the region.”
McCarthy and Southwest Airlines have partnered on over 20 projects across the country, ranging from new concourses and hangars, to training facilities and baggage handling service.
As one of the nation’s premier builders, McCarthy brings years of experience and expertise in new airport construction and modernization projects for some of the busiest airports in the country, such as Denver International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport, among others. With over 50 airport construction projects on its resume spanning large-scale expansions and renovations, McCarthy is experienced in working with a complete array of airport services, including Customs and Border Patrol, Federal Inspection, Flight and Gate Information and Display Systems, Security Screening Checkpoints, Baggage Handling Systems, Automated People Movers and more.
# # #
About McCarthy Building Companies
McCarthy is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with nearly 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 19th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2023). With approximately 6,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis; Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Channelview, Dallas, and Houston, Texas; and San Diego, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.