A development group is betting that metro Denver air travelers will embrace a “green” parking option for Denver International Airport that stresses alternate fuels, renewable energy and bananas.
Greenscape Capital Group and Propark America are teaming up to build Green Park DIA, a 4,200-space, off-airport parking facility at Tower Road and Peña Boulevard in Commerce City, about 7 miles from DIA’s terminal.
The partners expect to break ground on the $18.6 million facility next month, and they say it will be completed by the fall.
Some energy for the operation is expected to come from solar and wind-turbine farms on-site and by capturing methane from a nearby landfill and converting it to natural gas, said Ryan Skomorowski, an executive with Greenscape Capital, the Vancouver, B.C.- based company that is providing the environmental expertise and 90 percent of the capital for the project.
Propark is a Hartford, Conn.-based parking lot operator.
“We came together on this project to make it a showcase for the world,” Skomorowski said of the venture. “Having a green parking option is definitely a positive in the marketplace where more and more people are looking for these choices.”
Green Park DIA also expects to use geothermal energy for heating and cooling, operate a free electric-vehicle charging station, or “juice bar,” and run shuttle vans powered by natural gas to the airport.
The project plans to offer uncovered economy parking for $8.95 a day, canopy-covered spaces for $13.95 a day and a unique third option — 500 valet-served spaces in an enclosed, “climate-controlled” parking facility that will cost $15.95 a day.
At Green Park’s website, , the venture offers the prospect of free newspapers, coffee and bananas “from our banana tree.”
Even though DIA has about 41,000 parking spaces of its own in covered garages, economy lots and satellite parking lots, private companies have carved a niche for off-airport parking around the airport.
Privately owned lots include DIAPark on East 32nd Avenue at Airport Boulevard, and FastTrack airport parking on East 56th Avenue east of Tower Road.
About 12 years ago, USAirport Parking opened its lot on Tower Road across from where Green Park DIA is planning to put its 46-acre parking complex.
“We are the largest off-airport parking facility in the world,” said USAirport Parking marketing manager Mark Walker of his 8,000-space operation, which has added capacity over the years.
He said his company is not worried about competition from Green Park DIA.
“We’ve developed a loyal following of customers who enjoy what we provide,” Walker said.
Of Green Park DIA, he added: “We think, with travel down, that they are mostly going to be green with envy when they find how little money they make.”
Jeffrey Leib: 303-954-1645 or jleib@denverpost.com
