Colorado Springs Airport Advances Concourse Modernization with Federal Grant Securing Future Phases

Work on the second phase of a modernization project to upgrade the Colorado Springs Airport's 31-year-old concourse is complete and the third phase of construction is well underway, officials said Wednesday.

Nearly a year-and-a-half after work began in September 2023 on the $36 million project, called ElevateCOS, five gates and hold room areas, and airport bathrooms on the south and north ends of the concourse, have now been enhanced.

Colorado Springs Airport embarks on multi-year renovation to boost efficiency, accessibility

A multi-year reconstruction of the Colorado Springs Airport concourse area is set to begin next week in an effort to boost efficiency and better reflect the needs of the city's disabled veterans, athletes and other travelers, officials announced Wednesday.

Global Lounge Network is also concurrently finalizing The Lounge, a new lounge space it will operate and which is expected to open in early February, airport spokeswoman Aidan Ryan said. This is a separate project from ElevateCOS, she said.

These are the first improvements ever made to the concourse — the length of the airport that houses a stretch of gates, concessions and sitting areas — since it was built in 1994.

Gate 6 at the Colorado Springs Airport was upgraded and modernized as part of the second phase of work on a three-year, $36 million project to upgrade the 31-year-old concourse.

Gate 6 at the Colorado Springs Airport was upgraded and modernized as part of the second phase of work on a three-year, $36 million project to upgrade the 31-year-old concourse.

When it is complete, the eight-phase, three-year project will have revamped about 63,000 square feet of the existing concourse. The airport continues to function as the work is ongoing.

The project is funded entirely by airport revenue reserves and grants from the Federal Aviation Administration. On Wednesday, airport officials announced it will receive about $5.9 million in airport infrastructure grant monies for 2025 from the federal agency.

The third phase of work, which began in September and will improve Gates 9, 11 and 12, is already funded. The recent grant will help pay for future phases of ElevateCOS, Ryan said.

Officials expect Phase 3 construction to be complete by the first week of April.

Colorado Springs Airport completes first phase of $36M renovation project

The Colorado Springs Airport on Friday opened the first phase of a modernization project to change the interior look of the concourse built in 1995.

"ElevateCOS is a systematic approach to terminal renovation, improvements which are key to us preserving the unique customer experience our guests have come to associate with ( Colorado Springs Airport). We're excited with the news of our success with this grant as it will further enhance our modernization efforts," Greg Phillips, the airport's director of aviation, said in a Wednesday news release.

The airport is upgrading the look of the concourse but is also improving energy efficiency and accessibility for passengers.

Among project improvements, the upgraded concourse will include an active listening system, a technology that uses copper wire running along the floor to amplify sound for the hearing-impaired. Gate counters and bathrooms are being brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The concourse's HVAC is being updated and energy-efficient windows and lights are being installed to bring energy efficiency as close as possible to U.S. Green Building Council certification guidelines.

Other improvements will include new carpet and terrazzo flooring, raised soffits and new ceilings, and new food court and retail areas.

For more information and updates on the project, visit elevatecosairport.com.

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