Progress made on fire damage repair but work remains at Colorado Springs Airport

It’s been almost a year since a fire at the Colorado Springs airport caused considerable damage but repairs likely won’t be finished until late spring.

The roof fire last April affected all three airport levels, mostly with smoke and water damage.

Airport spokeswoman Aidan Ryan said Friday that repairs to second-floor offices and the first-floor terminal are nearly complete.

However, repairs to the downstairs baggage claim area won’t start until later this month.

“And we don’t know how long that will take,” Ryan said.
The end of construction has been delayed twice because workers found more damage than expected. The initial completion date was last Thanksgiving, then was changed to the end of January.

Ryan said the airport’s Novo Coffee business won’t reopen until June.

Despite some exposed ceilings and construction zones still in place, the airport interior isn’t as cluttered or loud as it was during the peak of repair work.

“We’ve raised the ceilings, changed to brighter colors and improved the architecture to give it more of a southern Colorado feel,” Ryan said.

The repair cost likely will exceed the initial $5 million estimate but Ryan said the final amount has yet to be determined.

Insurance and airport funds are paying for the repairs, she said.

Investigators ruled the fire an accident, caused by construction equipment on the roof.