Hangars and rail-side warehouses are the two buildings that make the most sense in La Junta, and both are things we erect with a pre-engineered frame. A hangar needs a wide door and a long clear span. A rail-side warehouse needs dock doors, tall eaves and a floor that takes forklifts. Both are one-story, both are fast to put up, and both can be priced per square foot before design is finished.
The place is set up for them. A former military airport lies 5 miles north of La Junta, which is the Otero County seat with 7,322 residents at the 2020 census and an elevation of 4,078 feet. Old airfield ground often has long paved surfaces, utilities nearby and few neighbors. BNSF runs freight trains between Denver and points to the east and south through the city, and Amtrak's Southwest Chief provides daily passenger service.
We start each La Junta conversation with the load package and the lead time, and we price the drive and the crew in the same place. See our aircraft hangars page for the frame types and door options we use.
Aviation, rail freight and farm business
Aviation users in a small market tend to be owners and operators of light aircraft, crop-service flyers, and charter or maintenance shops. Their needs are individual hangars, a shared hangar with several bays, or a maintenance shop with an office. Our aviation page covers each. Leasing or access to airfield ground is a separate agreement we do not handle, but we explain what to ask for.
Rail freight and agriculture feed one another here. A grower or shipper wants storage near the track, a place to stage product, and a dock for trucks. We build the shell, the dock wall and the roof, and we coordinate track clearances with whoever controls the siding.
What goes into a La Junta hangar or warehouse
For a hangar: foundation and slab coordination, rigid frame sized around the door opening, wall and roof panels, the door package (bifold, hydraulic or sliding), insulation if needed, and electrical stubs for lighting and tools. For a warehouse: a similar frame with dock-high doors, a leveler pit if specified, and a slab designed for rack loads.
The door is the cost driver on a hangar and the dock is the cost driver on a warehouse. Our overhead hangar doors options show you the price range for each door type, so you can decide how much opening you really need. A little extra width for a wingspan can cost less than a second hangar.
One schedule for every crew
We manage the steel erection, which means one crew lead owns the plumb, the square and the daily progress. We set bases, raise frames, install girts and purlins, and hang panels and trim. We also install the doors we supply, since a hangar door that does not run true is a daily nuisance.
When a project needs a structural deck or a platform inside the building, the mezzanines and platforms crews we coordinate extend the work. A parts loft over a shop bay or an office over a dock is common, and we design the columns so they land where the slab can carry them.
Siting near a runway or a track
Near an airfield, height and setback limits can apply, and airport authorities may need to review the building. Near a railroad, clearances and setbacks apply. Both affect where the building can sit and how tall it can be, and both can take time. We ask about them at the first call and build the answer into the plan.
US 50 runs through La Junta, US 350 and Colorado Highway 10 both begin there, and the city is 68 miles east of Pueblo. Truck access is good, but entrance permits still need review. Allow time for the driveway as well as the building.
Where a hangar or dock building spends its money
Width, door and slab, in that order. A wider span needs heavier frames. A larger door needs a heavier header and operator. A slab with rack or aircraft loads needs thickness and steel reinforcing. Everything else, such as trim colors, gutters and vents, moves the price much less. We show those three items first so you can see where a change matters.
Utilities can be the surprise. Power for a hangar door operator, lighting and a compressor may need a service upgrade, and water for a wash bay needs a line and a drain. We list those as owner items or as options we can coordinate, and we say plainly when the cost of the site hookups will rival the cost of the frame.
Sequence and timing
Permit and engineering come first, then the foundation, then steel delivery and erection, then doors and finish. The steel lead time is set by the manufacturer's queue, and we name it in the proposal. The foundation can be poured while the frame is made, which is the biggest schedule saver on any steel job.
Nearby towns share crews and deliveries. A project in Lamar or Pueblo can sometimes pair with a La Junta job, which lowers mobilization cost. If your timing is flexible, tell us and we will look for the pairing.
Ask for a La Junta steel quote
Send the use, the dimensions of your largest aircraft or truck and the lot or leased ground. We will return a price per square foot, the load package and the lead time.
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Next Step
Plan This Project With Us
Tell us about the site, the building and the schedule, and we will set up a review of scope, schedule, permits and inspections.
Common Questions
Often, yes, but the lease and the airport authority set the rules. They may require plan review, height limits and a ground lease term long enough to justify the building. We prepare stamped drawings and a clear scope you can submit, and we advise on what to ask for in the lease.
Wider than the wingspan with room to maneuver. We size the opening from your aircraft dimensions plus clearance and decide on bifold, hydraulic or sliding based on cost, maintenance and the weather you expect. Please send the aircraft type so we can price the right door.
Yes, if the site has room and the railroad accepts the siding or setback. The railroad's clearance rules set the building line. We coordinate door positions and apron grades with your logistics plan once those rules are known.
It depends on use. A storage hangar can be uninsulated or have blanket insulation. A maintenance hangar with heat and paint or avionics work benefits from insulated panels and a vapor barrier. We price each option so you can see the cost.
Licensed trades do, under permits your local authority issues. We frame for the conduit paths, panel locations and fire department access, and we coordinate openings and loads with the electrician and the fire protection designer. If your use triggers sprinkler or suppression requirements, we tell you early because they can change the building layout and cost.
PROJECT REVIEW
Tell us about the site, the building and the schedule, and we will set up a review of scope, schedule, permits and inspections.
SERVICE AREAS
See the Colorado communities where we plan and manage pre-engineered metal building construction.