Scaffolding is often an unrecognized backbone of the construction industry, and yet many ancient wonders of the world and modern day skyscrapers would not exist without the creative utilization of temporary scaffold structures. This past month, the Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA) announced the recipients of its annual project awards at the President’s Gala held in New Orleans. Denver-based CD Specialty Contractors won the Supported Scaffold Project of the Year Award and Innovation Award, both for its work on the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora.
The awards showcase CD Specialty Contractors’ innovative and creative approach to tackling a project of immense scale. The company was tasked with erecting 2.5 million pounds of scaffolding along 1.9 million square feet of lodging, retail, commercial and convention space. The complex undertaking of the scaffold erection was unique in that general contractor, Mortensen/WELBRO, required all scaffolding to be erected at one time and kept in place until each trade was complete. The challenge was further compounded by the building’s design, which features a steeply-pitched roof of 37 degrees. This meant that CD Specialty Contractors enlisted and collaborated with Golden-based Crimson Engineering to design a custom peak mounting bracket to evenly distribute the weight of the scaffolding over the steeply-pitched roof.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by SAIA in the categories of Innovation and Support Scaffold Project of the Year,” commented Israel Sanchez, vice president of operations. “Our experienced team at CD Specialty Contractors collaborated for more than 20 months on this massive endeavor. The custom-built attachment system was a unique challenge which our team overcame through innovative engineering and design.”
CD Specialty Contractors has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. The company’s total revenue has more than doubled in the past four years to $26 million in 2018, with scaffolding accounting for nearly fifty percent of its total revenue. The company is currently working on commercial and industrial scaffolding and insulation projects throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, including the AMLI Riverfront Park and restoration of the historic Mercantile building in Denver.
Photo courtesy of CD Specialty Contractors
