This spring, Lincoln Airport (LNK) officially cut the ribbon on a dramatically improved terminal. In addition to adding 38,000 square feet of new space and renovating existing facilities, the Nebraska airport significantly enhanced post-security amenities. There is now a full-service restaurant/pub, a private lounge for frequent flyers, upgraded holdrooms for all and inclusivity updates throughout.
By updating its 50-year-old terminal with a new post-9/11 layout, LNK completed a common rite of passage for U.S. airports.
Two terminal assessments had been conducted at LNK during the 20 or so years since TSA checkpoints were added, but renovations and updates were kept to a minimum. “Every time we underwent a study to evaluate what was needed, the preliminary price tag always came back much higher than expected,” explains Chad Lay, director of Planning and Development for Lincoln Airport Authority.
 facts&figuresProject: Terminal Expansion/RenovationLocation: Lincoln Airport, in NEExpansion: 38,000 sq. ft.Renovated Space: 55,000 sq. ft. Cost: $56 million Funding: General purpose bonds backed by 1.75-cent property tax increase that went into effect Jan. 2022 & will last 15 years; FAA Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Airport Terminals Program grant for HVAC cooling tower replacements Construction: Aug. 2021–May 2024 Key Components: 2 new gates; 6 new boarding bridges; consolidated security checkpoint; larger holdrooms with new seating; updated wayfinding signage & aesthetic finishes; post-security restaurant; frequent flyer lounge; service animal relief area; mothers’ room; improved restrooms with companion care & adult changing facilities; community meeting room & public observation area Project Lead, Airport Planning & Design: Alliiance General Contractor: Sampson Construction Co. Inc. Local Design Partner for Architecture & Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Engineering & Construction Administration: Davis Design Information Technology: Faith Group LLC Civil Engineering: Alfred Benesch & Co. Boarding Bridges: JBT Baggage Handling Systems & Passenger Boarding Bridges: Swanson Rink Wayfinding & Graphic Design: Entro Airfield Curtainwall: YKK AP America Inc. Curbside Curtainwall: Kawneer Window Glazing: Viracon; McGrory Glass,; Advanced Glazings Ltd.; Global Security Glazing Interior Artglass Installation: Glass Edge Furniture: Zoeftig; Stylex; Davis; Decca; Martin Battrud; Andreu World; Forms & Surfaces Key Benefits: Increased capacity; improved passenger experience |
Before the COVID pandemic, discussions about soliciting additional air service led to the realization that LNK would simply have to expand and renovate its terminal to fulfill TSA requirements and passenger needs associated with any new service.
The board of directors agreed that infrastructure improvements were worth pursuing, and general-purpose bonds were issued to fund them. The bonds will be repaid through a 1.75-cent property tax increase that went into effect January 2022 and will last for 15 years. The board’s willingness to advocate for the tax increase provided much-needed traction for the airport. “That ultimately is what got us over that funding hurdle and allowed the project to move forward,” Lay says.
To make it all happen, LNK hired Alliiance to lead planning and design, Sampson Construction as the construction manager at risk, and Davis Design as the local design, architecture and engineering partner. Davis Design was also a partner of the firms that designed the original terminal back in 1972.
Bi-weekly owner/architect/contractor meetings were held throughout the project to keep everyone on the same page. Weekly request for information and submittal review meetings during peak construction helped work stay on schedule. Chuck Richter, senior project manager with Sampson Construction, emphasizes the value of being able to go into every meeting and activity knowing that all of the players shared the same goals for the project.
Submittal Exchange and other software were used to share information among team members.
Planning and Design
Extensive preliminary discussions with lead architect Alliiance established broad concepts for phasing the project. As designers worked to meet LNK’s current needs, they also looked further ahead to the next major terminal expansion. “We don’t want to put programmatic pieces in place that solve a 10-year problem and then create a worse problem down the road,” explains Alliiance Principal Ashley Ilvonen.
The initial design plan focused on creating a consolidated security checkpoint and planning gate expansions to ensure room for growth and expandability. “Lincoln was set to burst at the seams,” recalls Greg Frenzel, a senior associate with Alliiance.
To determine how much space would be needed, planners analyzed existing and anticipated flight schedules and identified peak times, focusing on the average day of the busiest month. Increased air service, larger aircraft and more passengers were figured into forecasts, with special attention given to checkpoints, queues and peak times to help handle passenger surges. Two new gates were added to the existing four. “Ultimately, it could go from a six-gate terminal up to a 12-gate terminal,” predicts Ben Johnson, a principal with Alliiance.
The airport created space for its recent addition by extending the north end of the terminal into a portion of the rental car lot and expanding the east side of the building into the apron area. Additional ramping was needed for the east expansion due to the elevation difference between the concourse and the door sill height of smaller regional aircraft.
When planning the project, designers worked to expand the terminal in a way that respected the original 1970s architecture. For instance, they echoed the original weathering steel exterior, which had developed a rust patina over time, by using more of the same material for the addition, and added a brown iron-flashed masonry plinth to complement the existing brick.
“The terminal had really good bones,” Ilvonen remarks.
Alliiance also matched existing horizontal datum lines, coping heights and the ribbon window aesthetic. “We organized that so that these pieces and parts all talk to each other; they’re using the same geometry,” Ilvonen explains. “So, it becomes a family of components that all make sense as a whole.”
For further unity, designers added clerestory elements to the new gate hold areas that resemble those in the existing ticket lobby. Beyond reinforcing design elements, roofline and angles, they allow ample height and volume and natural light in airside areas.
Layout Changes
Prior to the expansion, the airport had two TSA checkpoints on opposite ends of the terminal, one serving Delta Air Lines and another serving United Airlines. But at peak travel times, the queues would run into each other. “People were getting confused about what line they were supposed to be in,” recalls Rachel Barth, director of Air Service Development and Strategic Marketing for Lincoln Airport Authority. During its recent project, LNK consolidated its two checkpoints into one and still had enough space for a separate TSA PreCheck® lane. Previously, it was blended with other lanes.
The expansion also provided LNK with a prime opportunity to eliminate one of its three front entrance/exits. Removing the middle one, which was directly in line with escalators inside the lobby, improved passenger flow by eliminating a common congestion point.
Inspired by Nature
Sense of place exercises with the airport and its stakeholders helped designers identify meaningful ways to represent the region in the expansion and renovation project. “The weather episodes that are very, very dramatic and how they run across the plains became a large source of inspiration,” explains Alliiance Principal April Meyer.
Mammatus clouds influenced both the color palette and overall aesthetic. In some places, cloud imagery is represented literally in photographs and other artwork; in other instances, it is more abstract. The backdrop behind the ticket counters emulates the local sky at sunrise or sunset. “It really looks kind of like the experience of being on the plains, whether it’s light and the color, or the patterns and the textures,” notes Alliiance Principal in Charge Eric Peterson.
Instead of brick flooring, LNK now has terrazzo with patterns inspired by local wheat fields and agriculture. The terminal’s two-story layout allows guests to appreciate the intricate flooring designs from ground level or the balcony above.
To warm up the previously stark-white ceilings in the ticketing lobby and holdrooms, designers added a light wood-tone metal panel system. “You get this warmth of what feels like natural wood in these tall spaces,” Ilvonen describes. “That becomes augmented with very well-crafted spot downlights.”
Recharging bars for passengers were outfitted with counters of various heights, stools and pendant light fixtures. “We’re very conscious about crafting the environment with lighting,” he adds.
Navigating Construction
From the airport’s perspective, involving the construction manager at risk in the final stages of the design process helped produce a better phasing plan, which, in turn, minimized impact on the traveling public.
Additionally, much of the construction and renovation work occurred during the COVID pandemic, when passenger loads were significantly lower. Despite losing Delta as an airline partner, LNK continued with its terminal project while many other airports put theirs on hold. Lay notes that this decision not only ensured timely completion but also allowed the airport to lock in favorable interest rates and avoid competition for labor. “It was a combination of good planning and outright luck,” he comments.
Due to the terminal’s original split design, the airport was able to shift all air service to the south wing while crews worked in the north end. Sampson Construction created and installed clearly defined barricades, walls and weather barriers to separate airport customers from active construction areas. Updated schedules were presented during owner/architect/contractor meetings to make sure the team knew about and agreed to the plan as impacted areas changed. Most construction activity occurred during normal work hours, but some was performed at night to reduce the impact on airport operations.
In June 2023, LNK opened the newly appointed north end for travelers, and Sampson Construction began working in the south wing. Construction there ended in May 2024.
Sustainable Elements
New cooling towers, lighting and mechanical systems have significantly boosted energy efficiency throughout the terminal. Updated fire and life safety systems brought the 50-year-old structure up to code.
Although the central plant was not updated, designers changed the building’s exterior envelope to reduce energy use. “The additions wrapped around approximately half of the exterior walls, providing an opportunity to install curtainwall glazing that performs significantly better than the walls being replaced,” explains Christian Petrick, project manager and project architect for Davis Design. The existing curtainwall and glazing in the southwest lobby were also upgraded to dramatically improve the thermal envelope.
To reduce solar heat gain, Alliiance added overhangs and solar fins to the horizontal ribbon window that wraps around the perimeter of the terminal. These features cut down the direct sunlight that streams into the building when the sun is low.
Sampson Construction implemented a recycling program for all construction waste to minimize the project’s environmental impact. The contractor also considerably reduced the waste stream by helping devise a plan that allowed contractors to lay new terrazzo flooring directly over the existing brick pavers rather than removing and discarding them. The strategy eliminated demolition costs, too.
New and Improved Amenities
With about 38,000 square feet of new space and 55,000 square feet of renovated space, LNK had lots of places to add new amenities for passengers.
The N-Flight Pub & Market offers grab-and-go items as well as restaurant seating for breakfast, lunch and dinner with views of the airfield. It is LNK’s first post-security full-service restaurant and is owned and operated by Tailwind Concessions. The name, N-Flight, emphasizes the airport’s designation as the “Official Airport of the Huskers” and a primary partner of Husker Athletics and the University of Nebraska. The menu features regional favorites, including local beers on tap.
Another new feature is the LNK Frequent Flyers Club Lounge, strategically located on a corner to provide airfield views to the north and east. Travelers who fly from the airport at least eight times per year are automatically eligible for a free membership.
Access is granted with personal keycards, and the lounge features complimentary beverages and snacks. Members can also scan a QR code to have items delivered from the N-Flight Pub & Market. Entry is limited to travelers ages 18 and up to maintain a quiet environment where members can relax or work.
“It’s a little bit of an incentive to keep flying out of Lincoln, but it also is a very high-end, elevated experience in an area of the airport that’s exclusive for those passengers,” Barth comments.
Pre-security, the airport added a conference room that can hold approximately 90 people. Moveable walls allow staff to reconfigure the space for airport or community meetings. Previously, the airport authority had to use outside facilities for its board meetings. A viewing area near the new conference room offers travelers, their families and the general public a place to watch planes take off and land.
Accommodating Features
Promoting equitable access is a core design philosophy for Alliiance, and one its leadership feels strongly about. Meyer explains that one key aspect is providing seating options to accommodate different body types and preferences. Another guiding design principle is helping travelers personalize their airport experience based on their constantly changing wants and needs. At LNK, that meant providing charging bars to accommodate work or play on portable electronics; a wide variety of seating types and arrangements in holdrooms; and power outlets integrated into all seating to ensure maximum convenience. “Even though the building had good bones, sitting in the gate hold before was more like being in a bus station,” Peterson remarks. “It really is hospitality-focused now.”
When choosing furniture, the teams’ primary considerations were focused on comfort and aesthetic appeal in addition to easy maintenance requirements and affordability. Zenky Plus seating from Zoeftig was selected for the airport’s holdrooms and various other terminal spaces. “Over the product’s lifetime, it’s going to cost LNK very little to keep their seating looking as good as the day it was installed,” says Martin Sharp, senior regional director of Zoeftig.
To create visual harmony, Alliiance architects, Zoeftig and LNK worked together to coordinate the colors of upholstery and metallic structure finishes. Although the seating is designed to create visual harmony, the design teams coordinated upholstery, colors and metallic finishes to complement the new terminal’s architecture and provide a calming feel for passengers. This is achieved with a seating product that is fully tested and certified for heavy-duty airport use.
The in-seat power modules from Zoeftig feature intelligent device recognition, which charges electronics as quickly as possible and tailors the power output to match the specific needs of any given device, supporting smart charging and providing LNK with future-proofing against technological advancements. “The power modules are purposely designed for the airport market and manufactured with durability in mind,” says Sharp. “We know our Boost units will get a lot of use from passengers, so they are built to stand the test of time across any regional terminal or hub concourse.”Other amenities added to enhance access include a service animal relief area, a nursing mothers’ room, larger restrooms with companion care facilities, adult changing room and other features outlined in Airport Cooperative Research Program standards. “Lincoln [Airport] has really taken our best practice recommendations and run with them and adopted them; and their community response has been overwhelmingly positive,” Frenzel comments.
External Communication
The airport created a website (next.lincolnairport.com) to keep travelers and the community informed about the terminal project. The site acted as a central hub with updates and photos from Sampson Construction. LNK also collaborated with a local video production company to produce a four-part series about the terminal expansion. The videos chronicled the project from preliminary discussions about the rationale and funding through ongoing construction to the completed terminal.
Major milestones along the way were celebrated with public events, such as an open house in June 2023 to showcase the LNK Flyers Club, post-security restaurant and other new amenities. A final ribbon-cutting and open house in late May 2024 revealed the completed terminal, including administrative offices and community spaces. These events celebrated the successful culmination of the long-anticipated project and allowed the public to see both pre- and post-security improvements.
Thus far, feedback from passengers, community members and airport staff has been overwhelmingly positive. Barth reports that whenever she flies in or out of LNK, she overhears people talking about how beautiful and stunning the new terminal is. “We’ve had folks who haven’t been here for years think they landed at the wrong airport,” she quips.
Challenges Faced
Just after the initial in-person design meeting for the project, the COVID pandemic forced subsequent design and pre-construction meetings to occur online. Like many projects since 2020, LNK’s terminal expansion was impacted by supply chain issues. In some instances, the project team had to select alternate materials or simply wait for products to arrive. “We worked together to adjust designs and the phasing plan to keep construction progressing accordingly,” recalls Petrick, of Davis Design.
The airport’s original layout presented a design challenge because it left a relatively narrow footprint for the terminal to expand while staying within the boundaries of existing taxiways and main road. The footprint was also within the path of FAA control sightlines to runway approaches, so planners had to consider height restrictions for the terminal addition and the construction cranes used to build it.
Barth notes that managing expectations within the community is an ongoing issue because many locals believe that airlines will automatically come to LNK because it built a new terminal. “Those two don’t correlate, but people think that they do,” she says.
A Learning Experience
Speaking from a planning and development perspective, Lay encourages any airport beginning a terminal expansion to engage stakeholders as soon as possible—the FAA, TSA, airlines, utility providers, rental car companies, internal airport departments, etc. “They will have wide and varied input into the project, and it will take a little while to work through all that,” he notes.
Lay also suggests having clear objectives and goals in mind. “As all of that input comes in, you can run it through that goal objective filter to make sure you don’t have scope creep, which can happen pretty easily.”
Richter, from Sampson Construction, emphasizes the benefits of putting together the right team and hiring a construction manager early in the process. “Set milestone goals that are measurable and achievable, then track that you are meeting them,” he advises. “If you aren’t, figure out why, make adjustments and work toward the next milestone.”
As an architect and project designer, Frenzel puts stock in the power of benchmarking. He says airports tend to get siloed in their own operations, but LNK benefited from remaining open to ideas and comparisons with other operations. “They’ve been willing to dig in and study everything we suggested,” he relates.
Ilvonen, his colleague at Alliiance, counsels airport operators against cobbling projects together over many years without a long-term vision. Even small improvements should align with future expansion goals, he cautions.
Petrick says it is critical to reconfirm budgets before a project begins, as predictions for price escalation may not have been accurate. “Construction costs have risen in recent years due to the pandemic, and most recently, construction cost inflation exceeded general economic inflation,” he specifies.
Expanding or renovating an occupied terminal requires a clear plan for alternative routes and space adjustments to maintain operations, Petrick adds. “The key is to remain flexible and open to less-than-ideal temporary solutions to allow the permanent changes and improvements to occur.”
Barth emphasizes the value of getting local input. To that end, Lincoln Airport Authority Executive Director David Haring assembled a community group called The Voice, which provided insight about what changes they wanted. The airport also held several open houses so community members could see the early design plans.
In retrospect, she is grateful that LNK’s terminal expansion lasted only two years. “I feel like ours was about the perfect amount of time because you’re still able to get people excited and intertwine events, like the open houses in between phases, but the staff didn’t get fatigued as much as I would imagine with a 10-year project.”
For the design team, working with an airport that was open to new ideas made all the difference. “I can’t say enough good things about the administration at Lincoln Airport,” Frenzel says. “The greatest opportunity we have as designers is a client that is open to our suggestions, and they listened.”
That approach led to features like larger, more accessible restrooms. While companion care areas and adult changing rooms are not yet mandated, Alliiance anticipates they will be in the near future. Thanks to its recent project and forward-thinking strategy, LNK will already be compliant.
