Airfield-adjacent parts distribution needs a building that treats time as inventory: dock doors that turn small shipments quickly, a secure cage or vault area, climate control for electronics and an office module near the front. We build that kind of flex and light distribution space in Centennial for developers and operators serving the aviation, aerospace and corporate base that surrounds Centennial Airport.
The airport sets the scale. A February 24, 2025 economic impact study credits Centennial Airport with 9,236 jobs, $2.4 billion in total business revenue for 2023 and $769.5 million in payroll. The airport recorded 360,725 aircraft operations in 2023, hosts more than 125 businesses, spans Arapahoe and Douglas counties and is located in unincorporated Arapahoe County adjacent to the city. Operators of that size generate steady demand for parts, tooling, ground support and courier storage, and those users want a building within minutes of the field.
The corporate side adds more. The city's 2023 financial report lists Comcast, UnitedHealth Group, Arrow Electronics, United Launch Alliance and CommonSpirit Health among Centennial's top employers. Electronics, aerospace and health service firms tend to buy smaller, higher-value, more controlled space than a typical big-box tenant, and our buildings reflect.
Flex, hangar-adjacent and office-warehouse space
The common product is an office-warehouse flex building, typically with a front office or showroom, a rear warehouse with 24 to 28 feet of clear height and a mix of dock-high and grade-level doors. Tenants in the aviation sector may also want a hangar-style space with a wide door, which we scope as a separate option and coordinate with aircraft hangar design needs.
Data and electronics users want power, cooling and clean space. We size electrical service and mechanical systems with the tenant, and we build the shell so their equipment can be added without opening walls. A conditioned storage room with humidity control is a common request, and we frame, insulate and ventilate it as part of the base building.
I-25 splits the city, and the airport pulls the south
Interstate 25 roughly divides Centennial in half, which gives the city good access to the south metro and downtown. The airport side of town draws aviation and logistics users, while the office side draws service and corporate tenants. A developer should treat the two as different submarkets with different rent levels and tenant profiles.
We help developers compare these. A flex project near the airport competes on proximity to the field and on mixed office-warehouse space. A project farther from the airport competes on highway access and labor. We pair a building concept with a brief market comparison so the decision considers who will lease the space. For larger floor plates, Aurora to the east provides a different land profile.
Working near an active airfield
Near a busy airfield, the height of a building and of a construction crane can trigger aviation review, and lighting, reflective surfaces and bird-attracting features may draw questions. We ask the city and the airport early whether any notice or review applies to the parcel, and we plan crane use and roof equipment accordingly. A late discovery can halt a lift, which is expensive with a crane on rental.
Noise also matters for design. Tenants who place offices or meeting rooms near the flight path may want better acoustic glazing and wall assemblies. We discuss this with the architect and price the upgrades as options, not assumptions. The same awareness applies to haul routes: airport traffic and construction traffic should not conflict, and we schedule heavy deliveries around known peaks.
Cost of controlled, high-finish space
Flex and technical space cost more per square foot than a plain shell, because office finish, mechanical systems and electrical capacity make up a larger share of the total. We show the budget in three parts: shell and site, base building systems and tenant-specific work. A developer can then bid the shell to the market, and a tenant can see what its extras cost.
For a spec project, restraint helps. Build the infrastructure that nearly every tenant needs, such as ample power, a few plumbing stubs and ready-to-finish office space, and leave the rest. Over-building a spec shell in a market that needs flexibility can slow absorption. Our spec warehouse shell packages draw that line.
Fire protection, docks and the controlled interior
Parts and electronics inventory is dense and often high-value, so fire protection coordination starts early. We classify the commodity, confirm the rack heights and design sprinkler coverage with the engineer, then check alarm and smoke control with the fire marshal. Electronics storage may call for additional measures, which we agree with the tenant's insurer.
At the dock we balance security with throughput. Fewer, well-controlled doors suit small, valuable shipments, and a dock lock or vestibule can separate the receiving area from the storage cage. We detail the cage, the camera points and the access controls in the drawings so the tenant improvement does not need to demolish what the base building built.
Centennial and the south metro
Centennial work often sits alongside projects farther south. Lone Tree is a natural comparison for tenants that want a corporate address and I-25 or C-470 access, and the two cities share a labor pool. We maintain consistent specifications across both so a tenant can move between them without redesigning.
As of January 20, 2026, a Home Builders Association of Metro Denver tracker lists Centennial on the 2021 IBC, IRC and IFC with the 2018 IEC and no plans to adopt the 2024 I-codes. It is not an official source, so we confirm the edition and any amendments with the city. For clients in manufacturing and distribution, we hold a consistent code review checklist.
Send the use and the target tenant
Tell us the tenant type, the square footage and the clear height. We will return a scope, a code review summary and a budget for your Centennial building.
Common Questions
Why build near Centennial Airport?
The airport hosts more than 125 businesses and, per a February 2025 economic impact study, supports 9,236 jobs. Parts, tooling and courier users value storage that is minutes from the field.
Does being near an airport change how we build?
It can. Structure height, crane height, lighting and roof features may trigger review, and noise affects office and glazing choices. We ask the city and the airport early and plan around what they say.
What code edition applies?
A January 2026 tracker lists the 2021 IBC, IRC and IFC and the 2018 IEC, with no plans to adopt the 2024 I-codes. We verify with the city and design to what will be in force at permit.
What clear height is typical for flex space?
Flex buildings commonly run about 24 to 28 feet clear, which gives enough room for racking and a mezzanine. If the tenant needs more, we price a taller shell and a heavier fire protection design side by side.
Can you build secure, climate-controlled storage?
Yes. We frame and insulate the room, size the mechanical system, add power and conduit for access control and detail the cage. The tenant's equipment can then be installed without rework.
