Manhattan Regional Airport (MHK), located in the picturesque and growing Flint Hills region of Kansas, cut the ribbon on its new terminal early this year. More than triple the size of the old facility, the new 42,000-square-foot building emerged from the footprint of the existing terminal in an unusual manner. The airport essentially cut its existing terminal in half, and then demolished, rebuilt and expanded each half during separate phases-while maintaining operations the entire time.
The city of Austin, TX, has been expanding rapidly for the past several years, with no discernable end in sight. Last year, its population grew by 2.9% (nearly 60,000 people) and forecasters predict that the city will reach the 3 million mark before 2030. As of this March, Austin was home to more than 2 million residents.
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) recently put the finishing touches on its $127 million Wingspan project, the largest capital improvement initiative ever undertaken at the South Carolina airport. In essence, GSP completely rebuilt its terminal from the ground up, expanding from 225,000 to 375,000 square feet.
For years, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) faced a problem many airports would relish: too much passenger demand. Now, BOS can accommodate three of the world's largest passenger jets simultaneously, and plans are set to add more gates in a few years. The fix, a $168 million expansion and renovation to Terminal E, debuted in late January.
Passengers traveling through Terminal 3 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) are getting through check-in faster, navigating the TSA screening process more easily and relishing new views of the desert and city-and more improvements are on the horizon.
After 10 years of planning and negotiating and building, Williamson County Airport Authority recently cut the ribbon on its new terminal. To honor local veterans, it changed the name of the entire facility from Williamson County Regional Airport to Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (MWA) and named the terminal after a local World War II flying ace and former airport authority chair. Fittingly, MWA dedicated the new Captain Robert W. Duncan Airline Terminal on Veterans Day (2016).
While U.S. presidents like to talk about plans for their first 100 days in office, officials at Northeast Florida Regional Airport (SGJ) can proudly show what they accomplished in 100 days. SGJ closed its existing terminal, tore that structure down and constructed a new 14,000-square-foot facility-all while maintaining flights into and out of the airport.
Community support for West Michigan Regional (BIV) in Holland, MI, is highly visible to anyone arriving at the general aviation airport. Literally. Contributors who donated to the "Earn Your Wings" fundraising campaign will be formally recognized on a permanent display in BIV's new Airport Business Center, the primary showpiece of a $7 million improvement program that also added a parking lot and expanded the existing aircraft apron.
Charleston International (CHS) is no longer a "small town airport," and local officials are thrilled with the change. After six consecutive years of passenger growth, CHS broke its previous 2014 record by moving more than 3.4 million travelers through its terminal last year. Volume is up nearly 1.5 million passengers since 2010.
With the recent addition of a sweeping skylight in its main lobby, Norfolk International Airport (ORF) finally has the grand connection to nearby botanical gardens its original 1970s design intended. According to ORF officials, the 10,000-square-foot skylight and other elements of the airport's $34 million renovation program create a terminal that is modern and aesthetically stunning, and also more efficient and better equipped to meet current and future passenger needs. A $6 million project updated ORF's general aviation facility.
When throngs of red, white and blue politicos descend on Cleveland in July for the Republican National Convention, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) will greet them with a newly updated ticket lobby and other recent renovations. Between delegates, staffers, journalists, lobbyists and others, the city is expecting 50,000 extra visitors.
When Executive Director Michael Olson first came to Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI) in 2005, commercial air service was sparse. A few years later, it was completely nonexistent for a brief time. "We knew we had to make some changes to our program," Olson recalls.
