On May 22, The Architect’s Newspaper was looking on as Denver Mayor Michael Hancock ceremoniously signed the last beam to be flown into place in the topping-out ceremony for the new Westin Hotel at    

On-site, there was evidence of the high-tech facade going in. When completed, the skin of the building will wrap smoothly onto the roof to create a taut, sculpted form that references the tensile membrane structure of Jeppesen terminal (also designed by Fentress) in more modern terms. The transverse axis of the hotel sits astride Denver Regional Transportation District’s new  

The following day, when AN caught up with Brent Mather, design director at Gensler’s Denver office, he said, “Seeing the canopy at the topping out party with all of the people there… It is really going to be a powerful space.”

While Gensler is heading the project, the firm is receiving support from a number of local offices, including Iron Horse Architects, Anderson Mason Dale, and MHS, a cooperative corporation between Mortenson, Hunt, and Saunders general contractors.

The hotel is scheduled for completion in late 2015. The East Rail line will commence operation in 2016.