Denver International Airport is preparing an $83.8 million overhaul of 28 restrooms spanning 45,000 square feet across all three concourses, a project airport officials say is overdue after decades of wear and leaking pipes beneath the terminal. The proposed contract still needs a green light from the full Denver City Council before construction can be authorized, but it already cleared a key committee without objection.
Aging Pipes, Aging Patience
According to Denverite, the restrooms targeted for renovation are more than 30 years old. Brandon Gainey said the facilities are aging and creating a poor passenger experience, per the same report. Aging pipes have leaked into the airport basement, and Ro-Tien Liang said the project will address those leaks along with hidden infrastructure beneath and behind the concourse.
The renovation plan calls for brighter materials, new lighting, roomier stalls, and improved facilities for people traveling with pets, nursing mothers and adults with disabilities, the outlet reports. Companion-care restrooms with height-adjustable changing tables large enough for adults are also part of the design, and the airport plans to upgrade restroom mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems throughout the affected spaces.
Bigger Hubs, Smaller Stalls
The project includes 12 larger restrooms in central concourse areas alongside 16 smaller restrooms scattered throughout the airport, per the Denverite account. Some DEN restrooms have already been updated through earlier concourse expansion and Great Hall renovation projects, and officials say passenger surveys, janitorial staff feedback and specialist reviews all helped shape the new designs. The airport reportedly also looked to Orlando and Nashville airports for renovation inspiration.
Orlando International Airport undertook a roughly $72 million restroom improvement project covering 61 existing bathrooms and 12 new ones, the Denverite report notes. Coverage of that project elsewhere has varied: ClickOrlando put the figure at $71.9 million with construction beginning in 2025 and substantial completion expected by 2027-2028, while the Orlando Sentinel described it as a $72 million project set for completion by 2029. ClickOrlando reported restroom upgrades at all four Airsides, while the Sentinel reported the work covering older Terminals A and B with new restrooms built where space allowed.
Who's Footing the Bill
DEN funds its expenses with revenue collected from its own operations, the Denverite report states. Milender White Construction Company, an Arvada-based contractor that has worked on airport construction projects since 2010, was selected through a competitive process involving four companies and a selection panel. The firm's own project page describes separately renovating four existing DEN bathrooms to the airport's newer standard, keeping that earlier work within the existing footprint and sequencing construction to keep the airport operational; according to Milender White, that Concourse B program replaced finish surfaces, plumbing fixtures and interior wall construction alongside full demolition and infrastructure upgrades.
The current proposed contract cleared Denver City Council's transportation and infrastructure committee without discussion on Nov. 4, but it still requires approval from the full council before the airport can finalize the agreement and authorize construction. Gainey expects full council approval by the end of 2026, the report notes.
What Happens Once Shovels Hit the Floor
If approved, construction could begin in spring 2027 and run simultaneously on Concourses A, B and C, initially affecting only one or two restroom sets at a time while others remain open, per the report. Restroom construction itself should take around 400 days, though the contract covers up to 650 days. The airport plans to coordinate with airlines, concessionaires and janitorial crews to manage passenger traffic and demand at restrooms that remain open during the work.
Officials expect the improvements to deliver easier-to-find, more accessible and more comfortable bathrooms by the end of 2028. DEN's broader 2023-2027 capital program, estimated at roughly $2.9 billion according to the airport's FY2024 financial report, already listed remodeling public restrooms throughout the concourses among its major projects. The airport has also tackled underground infrastructure problems before: Trenchless Technology reported that DEN rehabilitated 400 feet of failing cast-iron sewer pipe beneath Jeppesen Terminal in 2012, then scheduled rehabilitation of another 5,400 feet of cast-iron drainage pipe beneath Concourses A, B and C about a decade later, with that later project's physical work taking roughly 18 months from spring 2021 to October 2022.
Christine Pomorski said recently renovated restrooms at the airport have already gained social media attention for their brighter lighting and tarmac views, according to the Denverite report. She said the restrooms have become an unexpected destination for aviation enthusiasts, a sign of how much the right lighting fixture and a runway view can do for a passenger stuck between flights.
