The contractor that built the Colorado Convention Center and the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Building has been selected to build Denver’s $378 million Justice Center.
Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is still negotiating terms of the contract to build the detention facility and the courthouse included in the Justice Center.
The Greeley-based firm beat out JE Dunn Construction Co. for the detention facility, and Mortenson, PCL Construction Services Inc. and the Weitz Co. for the courthouse contract.
“They were the only firm that submitted on both sides,” said James Mejia, Justice Center project manager. “They came with a proposal where if they got both projects, there were substantial savings. That’s what persuaded us to go with both and take advantage of economies of scale and pricing.”
Mejia said he can’t disclose the bid amount until a contract is signed.
Meanwhile, Hensel Phelps is working with the architects to familiarize itself with the project. Hensel Phelps would be the first contractor to do a project under a proposed city program aimed at promoting small and disadvantaged businesses.
Its record of working with small-business enterprises (SBEs) was a factor in the decision, but its work with minorities and women was not a consideration because the city’s new program is not yet in place, Mejia said.
The Construction Empowerment Initiative, which goes before the City Council next month, is an effort to address disparity after a study showed that female- and minority-owned businesses experience discrimination in all major procurement categories and data sources examined.
The share of construction contracts held by female- and minority-owned businesses in Denver was cut in half after courts stopped the city from enforcing its minority-contracting program in 2000. Their share peaked in 2002 with 17.2 percent of the city’s construction contracts, but dropped to 8.6 percent by 2004.
The city will structure its contract with Hensel Phelps so that the new program, if approved, would apply to the project, Mejia said. The new program will feature mentoring and internship programs similar to those Hensel Phelps already has in place. Denver will also request that private firms provide statistics on their own minority-hiring practices.
Hensel Phelps has a strong track record of working with small businesses and women- and minority-owned firms through a long-standing subcontractor and joint-venture partner development and participation program.
It exceeded goals for SBE participation on a number of its recent projects, including the Denver Newspaper Agency building, the expansion of the Colorado Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center.
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-954-1473 or mjackson@denverpost.com.
