b'PASSENGER TRANSPORTAVP 67Not one to sugarcoat his words, Beardsley says the processLR Costanzo Company did a great job minimizing impacts, but was definitely a struggle at times.some of the equipment needed were long-lead items, not like your Early discussions started in fall 2015, when Conrac Solutionstraditional building materials, says Weiner. We were all faced with approached AVP about enhancing fleet turnaround services for itsprice increases as well as supply chain issues.on-airport rental car operators. By 2016, the airport commissioned the company to complete a feasibility plan, including project costStrong Finishand scope. Site selection for the proposed design/build projectOnce the sourcing issues were surmounted, momentum shifted and was also set into motion.the project began moving quickly. Michael Minerva, chief executive officer We had a groundbreaking on Oct. 26th of 2022, and a ribbon of Conrac Solutions, notes that the AVPcutting exactly a year later, Minerva reports. I give a lot of credit project had a long history with numerousto Carl Beardsley and the airport board for shepherding this steps, the timing of which was often out of project through and never losing sight of the goal. his teams control. The result is a rental car quick-turn center designed to There was an analysis of potentialwithstand the test of time and blend with the surrounding AVP government funding for this projector toterminal. This is definitely a utilitarian and service building, but subsidize itand that didnt happen, MinervaMICHAEL MINERVA it is done in the way that it should last decades with proper explains. Then COVID hit, and everything sort of stopped. maintenance and care, says Weiner.At the height of the pandemic, labor and supply chain issuesMinerva commends Beardsley and the airports bi-county board threw a wrench into the works.(Luzerne and Lackawanna counties) for staying focused on the end result. I know it took a lot of time, but once everybody decided to We had a tough time with gaining needed parts and havingpress Go, it moved very quickly and very efficiently through their a sufficient amount of employees, Beardsley explains. Everygovernance process and through the construction phase, he says.time we thought we had everything taken care of, something else would pop up and hit us in the backside of the head. Nonetheless,Reciprocally, Beardsley commends Conrac Solutions, the it always came through. airport board and other project partners for doing an excellent job working through multiple issues to bring the new car rental facility Wait times for long-lead items such as fueling equipment andinto service. The design/build team that we worked with on this car wash systems stretched even longer than usual due to theproject were very positive and they were able to move along when disconnected supply chain. You just never knew what was goingwe needed them to move along, he remarks. to happen next, Beardsley recalls. Move along they did, and now AVPs quick turnaround facility Components such as pumps, vacuumsstands as the product of their cooperation and performance. and even common electrical switch gear were particularly difficult to source. But PGALStakeholder collaboration is always important just to get to a Executive Vice President Jeff Weiner waspoint to have a common-use facility where there is competition impressed with the design-build contractorsbetween companies, Weiner explains. What we were able to efforts to overcome prevalent supply shortages.build at AVP is what was needed for the future. JEFF WEINERAirportImprovement.comJuly | August 2024'