b'14 FAT TERMINALSForward, Pause, and Forward Again gateway to some of the most buzz-worthy post-pandemic Although initial design work began behind the scenes monthsattractions in the United States. earlier, the airports largest-ever capital program was officiallyThe airport also benefited from a surge in move-ins, as growing unveiled to the public in September 2020 under the cheekywork-from-home opportunities prompted many residents to leave branding FAT Forward. (The three-letter FAT code was derivedthe Bay Area and Southern California for more affordable living from Fresno Air Terminal, the airports name from 1948 to 1996.) situations in the states Central Valley.Billed as a multiyear expansion predicated on years of pre- Fresno is the fifth-largest city in the state and it has a solid pandemic traffic growth, FAT Forwards first project was a four- economy, Partida explains. But of course, we are also the story, 917-space garage. It was funded through a $35 million loanclosest commercial airport to those three national parks.from the California State Infrastructure Bank, a key Golden StateAnd just like that, a market that was once down suddenly economic development arm.found itself wayway up.When announcing the new garage, airport leaders emphasizedBoreham, from Q&D Construction, says he always believed that the project would create hundreds of jobs during a period when itFAT would rebound quickly. In addition, he lobbied airport clients was important to put people to work. to use the downturn of 2020 to perform as much construction By the time the garage opened in fall 2021, however, FAT hadwork as possible, because projects would be easier with fewer already screamed back to life as Fresno and other smaller U.S.people flying. destinations enjoyed a rapid resurgence following COVID-19The city of Fresno, which owns and operates FAT, took a more lockdowns. FAT and similar airports were able to capitalize oncautious approach given the magnitude of the costs involved, revenge travel from cooped-up Americans whose recentlynotes Partida. Ultimately, such pauses werent significant enough accumulated savings fueled their pent-up demand to goto affect travel demand, he adds. somewhere, anywhere. Given its proximity to the outdoor wonders of Yosemite, KingsFATs checkpoint and terminal became one of the first projects Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, FAT became the aviationQ&D Construction undertook using videoconferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Ironically, the firm received its notice to proceed for design work on the same day the city of Fresno shuttered its offices to protect staff from potential exposure to coronavirus. Architecture |Engineering |Interior Design Had we been an hour later, we would have missed it altogether, Boreham jokes.While work progressed despite the pandemic, FAT Forward encountered other serious challenges. Soon after the new garage had welcomed its first vehicles, Director of Aviation Kevin Meikle retired in late 2021 following a nine-year run as the airports top official. His retirement, followed by Thompsons untimely passing last year, at first raised questions of potential voids in direction for FAT and its project stakeholders. A leadership change can really affect how we progress, Boreham notes. Its tough enough doing it once, and in Fresno Keep Revenue Flowing. we did it twice.Keep Passengers Moving.Such concerns proved unwarranted as teams stayed on task amid the turmoil. Boreham praises Partida, FAT Construction Our aviation expertise means we understandManager Luis Garcia, Project Manager Jarred Garza from the your business. Everyday counts, every dollarcitys Airports Division, and his design-build team led by Senior matters, and your reputation depends onProject Manager Brian Mills for keeping everyone united during a seamless execution. most difficult time. They did a really good job, he says. We had a lot of The Fresno Airport expansion includes art that celebrates the Centralhistorical knowledge with the airport team. We actually didntSan Joaquin Valleys people, local geology, and agriculture. miss a beat.Preventable AnxietyAn aligned approach and shared vision are precisely what air carriers want from airport leadership whenever capital improvement programs are discussedespecially after significant changes at March | April 2026AirportImprovement.comAd_CSHQA_Airport Improvement Mag_Final 02.12.26.indd 1 2/12/2026 4:16:18 PM'