A “Major League” Team Effort

Keli McGregor played a professional and personal part in the history of the Rockies.  What part did Keli play in the vision for McGregor Square?

Keli had tremendous attention to detail.  What was important to him during the design and construction of Coors Field became important to the fans.  For example, the openness of the stadium and the fact that you can see the playing field even while you’re buying snacks on the concourse is something Keli wanted.  The open feel isn’t something you find at other ballparks.  Wrigley, Fenway are historic monuments, but you have to get to the seats before you can see the game.  McGregor Square will have the same open, inviting atmosphere of Coors Field, which is something I believe Keli would want.

What would be your dream job in the construction industry?

I’ve always admired the artistry and creativity of laying brick, so I’d have to say being a brick mason.  Brick is a major part of the character and charm of Coors Field, and it will be equally engaging at McGregor Square.

Designed by Stantec and being built by Hensel Phelps, the $250 million project is scheduled for completion in January 2021.  It will include a 13-story residential building with more than 100 residences including 450 square-foot studios and spacious 6,000 square-foot penthouses, a 174 room luxury hotel, a 205,000 square foot office building, 70,000 square feet of retail and outdoor spaces and two stories of underground parking.  

McGregor Square is intended to be a year-round gathering space, where people can shop at retail destinations — including the recently announced addition of Denver’s classic Tattered Cover bookstore – dine at a variety of restaurants and a food hall and enjoy the 25,000 square foot public plaza that will feature a grass berm for concerts, movies and festivals.

For a project of this size, magnitude and schedule, it was critical to put together the right team for the job.  This meant being selective in-regards to the quality, safety and cost competitiveness of each team member.  Everyone involved had to have the horsepower necessary to handle the workload of designing and building three distinct towers simultaneously, while also diversifying the group enough so that no individual company was stretched too thin.

“There are four very unique construction projects actively underway: the garage and site improvements, the hotel, the office building and the residences, and each required a specialized team of professionals,” said Kurt Seeman, Operations Manager for Hensel Phelps.

“We wanted to field a team that could handle the work and the aggressive schedule. A lot of effort has gone into making decisions and planning ahead so that everything is well coordinated and running efficiently.  It’s a testament to the entire team that everything is running so smoothly and that we’re ahead of things so that we can avoid any errors now or in the future.”