Centennial Airport invites pilots to hang out at the new hangar — once pandemic is over

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — Centennial Airport (KAPA) recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new aviation community and administrative facility.

The building, dubbed “the hangar,” is the new home of the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority and will be a place for the aviation community to gather as soon as COVID-19 public health restrictions permit, airport officials say.

“While there are plenty of hangars at Centennial Airport, we wanted our new home to be THE hangar,” explains Airport Chief Executive Officer Robert Olislagers. “It’s meant to be a gathering place for the aviation community, from the aviation community — a place to have a cup of coffee and do a little ‘hangar flying.’”

Features and amenities of the new 15,805-square-foot building include:

• Three conference rooms with a seating capacity from 18 to 50 persons
• Updated airport operations center
• Emergency operations center
• Energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building
• Solar-ready carport and building roof
• Employee wellness center

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has thrown us for loop,” said Olislagers of the inability to fully open the building to the public. “But much like an aerial loop, we will come full circle and back to where we started — and that’s what this building is all about, and we look forward to the time when we can gather in person and share this milestone with our community.”

At no cost to local taxpayers, the majority of the $8 million project was financed by a loan from the Colorado State Infrastructure Bank and the remainder by the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority.

Centennial Airport is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States, with more than 344,000 operations each year. Located just minutes from downtown Denver, Centennial Airport is home to four FBOs and surrounding corporate office parks and businesses that generate more than $2 billion in economic impact.