Stapleton International Airport Plaza (Denver's tallest at 714′). Due to Stapleton's location east of downtown, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed a building height restriction of 700'-715' (depending on where the building was). This allowed an unimpeded glide slope for runways (8L/26R) and (8R/26L). The height restriction was lifted in 1995, well after the city's skyscrapers had been erected. By the 1980s, plans were under way to replace Stapleton with a new airport. Stapleton was plagued with a number of problems, including: The Colorado General Assembly brokered a deal in 1985 to annex a plot of land in Adams County into the city of
Stapleton International Airport Stapleton Airfield in 1944, in honor of Mayor Stapleton. Stapleton's modern horseshoe-shaped terminal design was first announced in 1946 and promptly shelved by incoming mayor James Newton. The original administration building was extended with new wings in the early 1950s, and replaced entirely in 1954. By the early 1950s, the airport was served by five major airlines. United connected Denver to both coasts, with multi-stop routes extending to Boston, New York and Washington in the east, to major cities on the West Coast, and to Honolulu. Braniff operated routes from Denver to Texas, with connections to South America. Continental connected