Project Overview

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law on February 17, 2009 by President Obama to address the challenges facing us in the current economy. As a result of this legislation, the Denver Federal Center (DFC) will receive approximately 45 million dollars to significantly improve the aged utilities infrastructure and increase the overall readiness of the largest federal complex in the western United States.

Originally built in the early 1940s to support an ammunition manufacturing plant, the DFC operates today as a critical campus for 26 federal agencies and almost 6,000 federal employees. The utility infrastructure on campus was also installed nearly 70 years ago, but continues to serve well beyond the intended design life.

The infrastructure improvements, funded through the ARRA, are expected to be completed by 2012. The upgrades are anticipated to provide reliable utility service to the DFC for at least the next 75 years and will include:

Total replacement of domestic water and fire protection systems with a new single system, new pump house, below-ground water storage reservoir, and new supply lines from an offsite Denver Water conduit.
Replacement or rehabilitation of approximately six miles of sanitary sewer collection lines, manholes, demolition of the inactive gauging station, and new sewer outfall.
Repair storm drainage along North Avenue and reconstruction of existing roadways, including storm drainage pipe, manholes, storm inlets, pavement replacement and new curb and gutter.
Flood drainage and site improvements along McIntyre Gulch to include channel restoration, trail channel restoration, soil stabilization, trail improvements, and grade control.
Replacement or rehabilitation of existing pavement at several locations around the DFC.
Upgrades to the electrical system to provide redundancies with a new 15-kV electrical loop and an additional Y-feeder, as well as replacement of 15-kV conductors throughout the DFC.