Denver International Airport Adds 800 New Parking Spaces with the Opening of 61st and Peña Parking Lot
Denver International Airport (DEN) on April 10, opened a new parking lot at the 61st & Peña Regional Transportation District (RTD) University of Colorado A Line commuter rail station. The new lot adds a total of 800 parking spaces to the airport’s extensive parking system, and includes 609 spaces covered with solar canopies tied to a cutting-edge microgrid system that is part of an innovative public-private partnership at the site.
“Denver International Airport is proud to partner with Panasonic and Xcel Energy in bringing this truly unique parking project to life,” airport CEO Kim Day said. “Not only will the parking lot at 61st and Peña provide convenient, covered parking through our unique solar canopy, but it also provides a platform in which we can test new technology that promotes sustainable growth and innovation.”
The new lot, located on airport property at 6195 N. Panasonic Way, is easily accessible via 61st Avenue and Tower Road and provides air travelers and daily commuters with a new option when taking the RTD commuter rail train to the airport or to downtown Denver. Rates for the new lot are just $2 per 12-hour period, or $4 daily for overnight parking. Monthly parking is available for $36. There are eight conveniently located credit card pay stations throughout the lot, and drivers will have access additional free services such as vehicle location, jump starts, tire inflation and lockout assistance 24-hours a day, seven days a week by calling 303-342-4650.
The new parking lot also includes access to 11 new, Level-1 electric vehicle charging stations that are free to use for people who pay to park. DEN now offers a total of 52 electric vehicle charging stations located in the new parking lot and in the east and west parking garages.
The Peña Station NEXT development – which will include residential, office and hotel space with a focus on sustainability and cutting-edge technology – is currently being developed near the 61st & Peña Station by L.C. Fulenwider. The new parking lot – which was also constructed by L.C. Fulenwider – ties into this vision via large solar canopies that provide covered parking for vehicles and feed green solar electricity into an on-site battery storage system. These solar canopies will initially help power the Panasonic Enterprise Solutions corporate office building that sits adjacent to the parking lot. Eventually, the solar canopies will help power an electric microgrid at the Peña Station NEXT development as part of a public-private partnership among DEN, Xcel Energy and Panasonic. The solar canopies that cover 609 of the 800 parking spaces were constructed by Sun Power, Panasonic and Namastѐ.
“Panasonic’s smart city technology will be a catalyst for future sustainable growth in Denver, and we’re excited to see those efforts taking shape at the 61st & Pena Station,” Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “Denver International Airport has long been a leader among the world’s airports when it comes to investing in sustainability, and this public-private partnership furthers those commitments.”
The $4.5 million parking lot and carport solar system was paid for by the airport’s Capital Improvement Project fund. DEN is an enterprise of the City and County of Denver and does not receive taxpayer money from the city’s General Fund.
