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AirportImprovement.com      May | June 2026
TERMINALS 
CID
outweighs the initial construction cost,” Lenss says. “We wanted 
systems that were tried, true and maintainable.”
Behind-the-Scenes Renewal 
While passengers immediately notice features like expanded 
holdrooms, light-filled spaces and new concessions, much of the 
project’s value lies in infrastructure upgrades that are largely invisible 
to the public.
During all four phases, the airport replaced or upgraded HVAC 
systems, electrical infrastructure, plumbing, access control 
systems, paging systems and building automation platforms 
that had reached (or exceeded) their useful life. “A lot of those 
back-end systems were being sunset by 
manufacturers,” Scott says. “This was an 
opportunity for CID to upgrade and position 
themselves well for future growth.”
One particularly complex challenge 
emerged during Phase 4 when plans to 
expand the terminal’s geothermal system were 
derailed. “That was a huge curveball,” Scott 
recalls. “We had planned to add additional 
geothermal wells, but the permit was denied.”
Rather than compromise system 
performance, the airport pivoted to a 
centralized utility plant that supplements 
the existing geothermal infrastructure with 
conventional HVAC systems—adding 
redundancy and long-term resilience. 
“Now they have multiple layers of heating 
and cooling capability,” Scott explains. 
“That redundancy protects them against 
single points of failure and supports future 
expansion.”
Lessons for Other Airports
“For us, a phased approach worked really 
well,” reflects Lenss. “It allowed us to be nimble 
on financing and operations.”
Dubbe, from Mead & Hunt, agrees that 
phasing had a significant impact on the 
project outcome. “While some people hate 
phasing, the way this airport did it was 
best-in-class,” he comments. “It allowed 
them to ramp up or slow down design and 
construction to meet funding, financial or 
operational needs.”
Collaboration among the airport, designers, 
engineers, contractors, airlines and TSA also 
proved to be a key component. “It’s integral,” 
notes Gaffney, from Rinderknecht Associates. 
“We were able to develop a relationship with 
the architect so that we could call him with 
an issue and FaceTime solutions, leading to 
problem-solving on the spot.”
Scott, with Foth, echoes the importance of coordination, 
particularly during surprise twists such as the permitting denial 
for more geothermal wells. “We had to pivot—and pivot fast,” 
he recalls.
Positioning for the Future
In addition to addressing immediate capacity and infrastructure 
needs, the recently completed terminal modernization was designed 
to help CID remain adaptable as its airline operations and passenger 
volume continue to evolve. 
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