Bob Chastain, President & CEO of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, gives an update on construction process during a week of rain and snow.
Construction starts on the new giraffe barn at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. What a fun project! And iiCON Construction is so so excited to be part of it. Not only do we get to do what we
The Colorado Springs Air Tanker Base Ribbon Cutting Ceremony included Greg Phillips, Director of Aviation, Colorado Springs Airport, Lt. Governor Primavera, Congressman Doug Lamborn, Jacque Buchanan, Deputy Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region, and Mayor John Suthers to name a few. The Air Force Thunderbirds made a special appearance, which added to excitement for all in attendance.
This is the nation's largest, most state-of-the-art Airtanker Base Unit, with a response area covering a 300 mile radius. This includes Colorado, portions of Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Capable of handling airtankers of all types and sizes. Five reload pits, four dedicated to Large Airtankers able to carry 2,000-4,000 gallons, one dedicated to Very Large Airtankers that carry over 4,000 gallons, capable of delivering 86,500 gallons of retardant within an hour.
Collaborating with the USDA Forest Service on this incredible project is an honor for iiCON Construction, with special thanks to our project team Ryan McAllisterKilian Cahill Darrell Stanton and many others on our Team who made this project a huge success. #GreatTeamsBuildGreatProjects
The Colorado Springs Air Tanker Base Ribbon Cutting Ceremony included Greg Phillips, Director of Aviation, Colorado Springs Airport, Lt. Governor Primavera, Congressman Doug Lamborn, Jacque Buchanan, Deputy Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region, and Mayor John Suthers to name a few. The Air Force Thunderbirds made a special appearance, which added to excitement for all in attendance.
This is the nation's largest, most state-of-the-art Airtanker Base Unit, with a response area covering a 300 mile radius. This includes Colorado, portions of Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Capable of handling airtankers of all types and sizes. Five reload pits, four dedicated to Large Airtankers able to carry 2,000-4,000 gallons, one dedicated to Very Large Airtankers that carry over 4,000 gallons, capable of delivering 86,500 gallons of retardant within an hour.
Collaborating with the USDA Forest Service on this incredible project is an honor for iiCON Construction, with special thanks to our project team Ryan McAllister Kilian Cahill Darrell Stanton and many others on our Team who made this project a huge success. #GreatTeamsBuildGreatProjects
View news coverage at KOAA News 5
First step to closing up the new Falcon Fire Station Administration Building, exterior sheathing installation on going, along with interior framing and rough ins!
Fountain Valley School of Colorado is a private, college-preparatory, co-ed, day and boarding school for grades 9-12 in Colorado Springs, established in 1930. iiCON Construction, FVS, and CSNA Architects have collaborated on numerous projects since 2016. The 8,700 square foot kitchen remodel is scheduled to begin this June, with completion in October 2022. Scope of work includes a complete gut, with exterior utility infrastructure, abatement, major demolition of mechanical, plumbing, electrical and kitchen equipment, structural reinforcement, metal stud framing, drywall, ceiling and floor finishes, new kitchen equipment, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Stay tuned for project updates! visit https://www.fvs.edu/ for additional Fountain Valley School information.
iiCON Construction has recently been awarded the Colorado Springs School District 11, Mitchell High School HVAC Replacement project. Scope of work includes replacing the existing boiler plant, unit ventilators, air handlers, exhaust fans, and upgrading the building automation systems. On-site construction is scheduled to coincide with the staff and student summer break.
Stay tuned for project updates!
iiCON Construction Colorado, LLC Receives National Excellence in Construction Award From Associated Builders and Contractors for the Space Battalion Readiness Center
Spending the day at Colorado State University-Pueblo for the Spring 2022 Career Fair allowed iiCON Construction the opportunity to speak to students about our internship program and full-time positions.
One of several blasts due to large amounts of rock needed for grading. Allowing iiCON to excavate the rock in order to move forward with footings and foundation walls.
iiCON Construction is making great strides as we complete demolition of part of the existing NEBO-FALCON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
The USDA Forest Service Colorado Springs Air Tanker Base project is on schedule for completion mid-March 2022.
This video is a quick tour of the new PPRBD satellite office that will open in 2022. It will offer all of the same services that are offered at the main PPRBD facility to include permitting, licensing, and plan review.
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — iiCON Construction Colorado, LLC was recently awarded two Excellence in Construction (EIC) awards by Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), Rocky Mountain Chapter. The EIC Awards have been honoring the most innovative and outstanding quality merit shop construction projects in Colorado for 20 years. The 2021 EIC Awards were held on Friday, October 15, 2021 at The Curtis Hotel in Denver, Colorado. This local event was the first step to compete at the national level and are based on the overall scores of the judges, who are comprised of peers within the commercial construction industry.
Space Battalion Readiness Center, Fort Carson, won the Award for Excellence in the category of Federal Government/Military: $10million to $100 million. As our armed forces expand to create the new Space Force, iiCON was proud to be at the forefront of this new vision to protect the US against potential threats in space. iiCON was selected as the best value by the National Guard to construct a new 38,441 sf facility to support their training efforts. This new two-story facility was designed to accommodate the Colorado National Guard Space Battalion wing located on the Fort Carson Army Base and includes an assembly hall, collaboration rooms, team rooms, classrooms, offices, maintenance bays, secured supply storage areas, and locker rooms. The facility was constructed on a newly developed 15-acre site and includes new utility services, parking, and support areas.
Pikes Peak Regional Building Facility, Colorado Springs, won the Award for Merit in the category of Institutional: $5 million to $10 million. As El Paso County rapidly grows, and in order to serve the building inspection needs, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department selected iiCON Construction as the best value Design-Builder to help with their growth initiative. The new Satellite Facility is a 14,965 SF ground up office building. PPRBD selected the design-build delivery method to help maintain project costs and collaborate on design issues. This building will be a second home to the permit and plan reviewers, inspectors, and administration to help alleviate the high demand for new construction. The new office houses a large conference room to host public hearings and meetings as required with the latest technology. Additional offices, conference, reproduction, plan review and permitting counters account for the balance of the interior design. The project scope includes full development of a 12 acre site establishing all utility tie-ins, curbs, gutters, roads, and landscaping.
Founded in 2014, iiCON Construction Colorado, LLC, is a commercial general contractor based in Colorado Springs, CO. With nearly 40 years of industry experience, iiCON Construction has completed more than $1 Billion in commercial construction projects ranging from government contracts to education. “iiCON Construction is extremely excited and proud to have an Excellence in Construction award, and a Merit Award,” said Gregory K. Collier, President, “We are appreciative of the efforts of our project team, clients, and design partners to collaborate and overcome not only the daily challenges faced on projects, but also extreme challenges that every contractor is facing today. It is always an honor to win an award that has been reviewed by our peers and the design community, especially when there are so many great projects.”
Great Teams Build Great Projects ®
“On Friday, October 1st, we had the privilege to attend the dedication ceremony for the newly constructed Air Warrior Combat Memorial at the US Air Force Academy. This new exhibit is located near the B-52 site and memorializes the first 100 years of aerial combat and honors all Academy Graduates who defend our nation through it: those who flew, those who maintained the aircraft, those responsible for logistics, those who tracked the weather, those who served on the ground crew, and those in communications. They embody and reflect all that the U.S. Air Force holds dear: Integrity, Service and Excellence.
iiCON Construction was able to participate in this great project by erecting the statues that honor Brig. General Robin Olds. We would like to thank the Air Force Academy Foundation for including iiCON and Total Welding in this great honor.”
Major demolition activities at the site of the Martin Drake Power Plant site are complete following nearly a century of electric generation in downtown Colorado Springs.
For generations, Drake was a symbol of reliability thanks to the dedicated employees who worked there. Although the plant no longer stands, its legacy will live on as we transition to a new energy future.
Demolition efforts began in the summer of 2023. From that time through July 2024, the project consisted of more than 83,000 hours of labor and the removal of approximately 8,700 gross tons of metal, filling 770 truckloads.
The contractor handling the demolition took special steps to minimize dust, traffic, noise and protect air quality for the surrounding area.
The demolition project cost about $20 million – a price tag that would have grown without the offsets achieved by selling scrap material.
The future of the site
The site is owned by the City of Colorado Springs and is currently held by Colorado Springs Utilities. The future use of this site will likely include a significant public process, but it’s also important to note potential use may be subject to a number of factors to include future environmental studies and resulting requirements set by the applicable environmental regulations.
On Feb. 22, 2023, the Downtown Partnership and the Legacy Institute presented a full report and executive summary to the Utilities Board to discuss plans for the future of the Drake site. Colorado Springs citizens are encouraged to review the documents, stay informed and provide feedback throughout the process.
The future of our electric system
To help manage future energy-related costs and adapt to a changing energy industry, we are pursuing several key initiatives:
- Southwest Power Pool (SPP): We joined the SPP on Aug. 1, 2022, to help insulate customers from a volatile energy market. The SPP enhances the current and future reliability of the electric grid, and expands the ability to meet our clean energy goals.
- Pike Solar Project: Completed in December 2023, the 175-megawatt project is the largest solar facility on our electric system.
- Battery Storage: By 2025, we will add up to 100 megawatts of battery storage – the first of its kind on our electric system. Battery storage can increase grid resiliency and flexibility as new resources are added to our energy portfolio.
- Expanding Energy Mix: After adding Pike Solar to the existing solar, wind and hydro resources, renewable energy is estimated to represent 27% of our energy portfolio.
Drake's history and legacy
All generation inside the Martin Drake Power Plant permanently shut down on Sept. 1, 2022. This marked the end of nearly a century of electric generation in downtown Colorado Springs. Drake provided reliable and cost-effective power for close to 100 years and enabled our city to grow and prosper in ways our early leaders could not have imagined. Thousands of employees and generations of workers (often members of the same family) have put their blood, sweat and tears into this staple of our community.
After only two years since the Utilities Board’s approval of our Sustainable Energy Plan and the decision to decommission Drake, we:
- Stopped burning coal in August 2021.
- Removed the coal pile and all associated equipment.
- Found new jobs in the organization for more than 40 former plant employees.
- Began installation of six natural gas generation units adjacent to the plant.
The decision to shutdown Drake was made with several factors in mind, to include environmental interests, changing needs of our system, the growing availability of renewable energy, the high maintenance costs of running aging coal-fired plants and the impact of anticipated regulation.
Courtesy of Colorado Springs Utitlities