Denver International Airport has selected Parsons Transportation Group to serve as program manager for the airport’s South Terminal Redevelopment Program. DIA’s plans to develop the area directly south of Jeppesen Terminal include a new Westin Hotel, the DIA FasTracks station, an open-air plaza above the station, and expansion of levels 5 and 6 of the terminal.

The South Terminal Redevelopment Program will also include the design for a major FasTracks bridge over Pena Boulevard and one over the exit roadway, among other projects. The contract between DIA and Parsons requires approval by the Denver City Council.

Parsons Transportation Group was selected for the contract based on its proposed personnel, expertise, and the inclusion of Santiago Calatrava as the group’s signature architect. Calatrava is a world-renowned structural engineer and architect who has designed visually stunning and instantly recognizable structures such as the Sundial Bridge in Redding, Calif., the TGV Railway Station in Liege, Belgium, the new Sondica Airport terminal in Bilbao, Spain, and the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece.

“We are excited to have the Parsons Transportation Group onboard to manage our South Terminal Redevelopment Program,” Denver Manager of Aviation Kim Day said Wednesday. “The addition of Santiago Calatrava as the lead designer is an incredible benefit to the City of Denver and the State of Colorado. He is an internationally recognized and award-winning architect and structural engineer. I have no doubt that his work here in Denver will enhance and respect the existing Jeppesen Terminal, while making DIA one of the most attractive, competitive, and envied airports in the world.”

Parsons will do the work from its local Denver office. The team includes a number of local architecture, engineering, and specialty planning firms, and will provide a significant stimulus to the local economy.  The contract between Parsons and DIA has a seven-year term, with up to two two-year extensions, for a total maximum cost of $160 million.