b'TERMINALSAZA 53Major Transformation Necessity Drives InnovationThe airport was largely dormant betweenConstruction of the terminal expansion began 1993, when Williams Air Force Base closed,in September 2022, right on the heels of a and 2007, when Allegiant established servicethree-year project to replace the outdated air there. After the low-cost carriers arrival,traffic control tower at AZA. growth at AZA wasnt just steady, it took offFirst on the teams To Do list was exponentially, reports Sandra Kukla, presidentdetermining how to remove 40% of the of DWL Architects + Planners Inc., the locallySANDRA KUKLA airports existing gates without significantlyBOB DRAPERbased consultant that has guided the airportsaffecting passengers and air carriers. Bob Draper, director of growth for nearly two decades beginning with a 2007 master plan.Engineering and Facilities, found the answer in an unexpected For expediency, AZAs original four gates used modular trailers,place: tribal casinos. Draper was impressed by the tensile fabric rolled in on wheels, for holdroom space and other passengerstructures some Native American communities have erected necessities. In all, the terminal was designed and built in just sixas temporary gaming spaces while building permanent casino months. That was our original Get er done project, quips Kukla. structures nearby. Permanent gate facilities were added in 2010, 2012 and 2014,Research verified that a temporary terminal could work at AZA, but there was never a seamless flow between the various phases.And we could reuse it for future needs, Draper explains.Passengers had to go outside to move between buildings, someFollowing a competitive search process, the airport contracted of which had no concessions. Now travelers can stand at Gate 1with Sprung Instant Structures, a Utah-based manufacturer with and look down to the opposite end of the terminal. patented fabric membrane technology that enables the rapid Weve done a complete transformation, ONeill says. Theresinstallation of enclosed commercial spaces. Rather than losing no comparison. four gates, the airport closed only one aircraft parking pad to DWL Architects + Planners Inc. was the prime design firm, andaccommodate a 6,500-square-foot tentlike structure. It was its 25-person team also provided civil, mechanical, plumbing and structural engineering services. Thomas Assante, a project director for McCarthy Building Companies, was involved in the terminal modernization from its inception. He says the work waswww.dwlarchitects.com | 602.264.9731challenging because the project site was an island surrounded by critical facilities such as baggage handling systems, a parking lot and active aircraft gates. Landside access to theTHOMAS ASSANTEjobsite was consequently impossible, and more than 300 crew members obtained TSA-authorized badges to work in the security identification display area.We had to be very detailed in our planning well in advance so that as we were building, we could do so with no impact and zero interruptions, Assante explains.One critical step was performing an underground utility investigation before physical construction began. Based on the results, crews relocated some utilities, connected into others, and removed or abandoned unnecessary lines. Some dated back to the airports days as a World War II-era military base.We didnt have very many surprises, Assante says, crediting McCarthy Project Manager JJ Blaschke, Project Superintendent Jeremy Wattleworth, DWL and the AZA team for their close coordination. Work wrapped up well ahead of schedule, he adds.They were on top of it as far as getting us the information weBringing projects to life needed to keep things moving, he says. through inspirational design,Adds Kukla of the partnership: They set themselves up forcreative teamwork and success. thoughtful stewardshipAirportImprovement.comMay | June 2024'