Big things are happening in the middle of the United States. This summer, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) in Mascoutah, IL, celebrated the grand opening of its newly expanded and renovated terminal. The $34 million project added 42,000 square feet, nearly doubling the terminal size to help respond to tremendous passenger growth in recent years.
There has been an unconventional participant at the table as San Diego International Airport (SAN) plans its Terminal 1 replacement project, scheduled for construction from 2022 to 2026. Artist James Carpenter, who is designing T1's south façade, is serving on the design-build team alongside Turner Construction and Flatiron Construction, joint venture partners for the project that bring considerable industry experience in terminal/concourse and airside construction.
It may be hard to believe, but it has already been 26 years since Denver International Airport (DEN) sprang up east of downtown Denver to replace Stapleton International, which was located in the midst of the growing city.
In surveys, the No. 1 thing that affects passenger satisfaction isn't weather delays or how many Starbucks locations an airport has. Time and time again, it all comes down to the restrooms. Two airports that were due for major restroom overhauls'Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)'are undertaking large multiphase projects to update and upgrade their facilities.
Memphis International Airport (MEM) is consolidating all passenger operations from three aging concourses to one brand-new, seismically-compliant Concourse B. The $245 million investment also allows MEM to modernize and expand the more than 50-year-old building to set the stage for future growth.
It's too small. That was the first impression William Vanecek, director of Aviation for Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, had when he walked into Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) on his first day of work in November 1998.
This past May, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened an extension of Terminal D, its primary international terminal. Although the $202 million project added just four gates, the impact on operational capacity and customer satisfaction is expected to be tremendous.
This summer, just as passengers returned in significant numbers, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) opened Phase 2 of its $710 million North Satellite modernization project, adding much-needed gates and square footage.
L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA) is passengers' gateway to the iconic pink sand beaches of Bermuda. With an economy heavily rooted in tourism, this overseas territory of the United Kingdom and its airport have struggled since early 2020 because of COVID-19. However, in December 2020, a new $400 million terminal opened to welcome travelers to the Atlantic island.
Fredericton International Airport (YFC), in Canada's far northeast corner, was built more than a half century ago to accommodate 200,000 passengers annually. The original building and facilities served their purpose aptly until about 10 years ago, when the New Brunswick airport began experiencing steady growth.
In April, the Washington, D.C., airport unveiled its new 14-gate concourse, a 230,000-square-foot facility built to replace its remote and cramped Gate 35X. Until recently, about 6,000 American Airline passengers rode airside buses every day to Gate 35X, where they boarded regional jets parked at 14 hardstand gates. The arrangement was the airport's way of continuing vital service while demand stretched beyond its contiguous facilities.
When Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) completed a $37 million gate modernization and concourse expansion last fall, the northeast Ohio airport also celebrated the culmination of its 10-year, $115 million capital improvement program. Together, the projects update the 1960s terminal, allow it to accommodate all current aircraft and right size the facility for future growth.
