CD Specialty Contractors Wins Bid for Renovation of the USAFA Cadet Chapel
One of Colorado’s most iconic historic structures to undergo extensive four-year renovation.
CD Specialty Contractors has received a contract to provide scaffolding for a $158 million renovation of the famous United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Cadet Chapel in Colorado Springs, led by general contractor JE Dunn Construction of Kansas City, MO. This marks the first project that CD Specialty Contractors will complete on a historic landmark site.
“We strategized and prepared our proposal to JE Dunn for more than a year,” said Israel Sanchez, vice president of operations at CD Specialty Contractors. “A team of four designers and engineers created a 3D rendering of the scaffolding scheme, which is unique to our niche industry. We look forward to providing the construction backbone to the restoration of such a significant historic site.”
The renovation of the USAFA Cadet Chapel is extensive, requiring the structure to be closed to the public until fall 2023. Built in 1963, the chapel is the most visited manmade landmark in Colorado and was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 2004. The 52,000-square-foot chapel includes a Protestant chapel, a Catholic chapel, a Jewish synagogue, a Muslim mosque, a Buddhist temple, a Falcon Circle and All Faiths rooms in addition to two sizeable 4,000+ pipe organs.
CD Specialty Contractors began erecting scaffold structures at the Chapel in early February. The unique scaffold design required engineers and planners to work around the intricate details of the chapel’s infrastructure. Scaffolding will be in place for the delicate removal, cleaning and restoration of all stained glass and aluminum panels, as well as for the organ disassembly which is comprised of 4,000+ pipes.
“After reviewing bids from multiple scaffolding contractors, we decided to proceed with CD Specialty Contractors because of its attention to detail and obvious pre-planning which was evident during the bidding stage of the project. Its 3D presentation and various solutions allowed us to envision the scaffolding on a more holistic level, which also enabled us to better communicate the project plan to all affected trades. This was certainly a differentiator.” said Donny Tennyson, Senior Project Manager at JE Dunn.
“We are setting the bar high for the safety of this project,” said Sanchez, “We pride ourselves on never taking shortcuts and being the support of every construction venture we are involved in.”
About JE Dunn - JE Dunn Construction, founded in 1924, is domestic general building contractor in the United States with offices in 22 locations. Our vision is to be an indispensable business partner for our clients by first understanding their purpose, goals and customers and then delivering transformational solutions with certainty of results. We maintain a commitment to our clients and their building goals while being true to our guiding principles — the philosophy of our business operation which is both family and employee-owned. JE Dunn’s purpose is to enrich lives through inspired people and places. www.jedunn.com
About CD Specialty Contractors - CD Specialty Contractors is one of the leading industrial and commercial insulation and scaffolding contractors in the nation, providing mechanical insulation, scaffolding, and other services spanning numerous industries. Industrial projects include refineries, petrochemical, pipelines and terminal, power plants, mines, and renewable energy installations. Commercial projects encompass hospitality, food processing, government, institutional, commercial, health care, manufacturing, and transportation. The company is known for its commitment to safety and service and has offices in Commerce City, Colorado, and Castle Rock, Colorado. For more information, visit cdspecialtycontractors.com or find them on Facebook and LinkedIn.
