The Airport Terminal had to stay in operation during the reconstruction. A careful plan of Phasing was developed through interviews and dialogue with airlines, TSA, the Department of Transportation, airport administrators, and authority members. The result was a 12-phase plan in which areas of the Terminal were vacated, reconstructed, and then occupied.
In addition to the issue of Phasing, there were numerous functional problems that had to be resolved. The TSA explosive screening of baggage was performed at three different locations in the Ticketing/Queuing Concourse which created congestion for travelers. It had security risks because it took place in the public area of the building and required double handling to transport the baggage to the planes. Also, the Flight Information System had become obsolete, as well as the ticket counters.
There was also no ADA elevator to assist handicapped travelers, the escalators were 40 years old and in constant need of repair, there was a significant amount of vacant space where a restaurant and full-service kitchen had once existed, the HVAC system did not deliver the desirable air quality, and the terminal in general presented a cluttered and unattractive appearance to the traveling public.
To resolve these issues, a new baggage handling system was developed and strategically placed behind the ticketing directly next to the pick-up for transport to the planes. The TSA-approved layout increased efficiency and security. A new more extensive Flight Information System was developed, a glass-enclosed ADA size elevator was placed in the open well to the lower level, additional ticket counters and more spacious queuing areas were developed, and the entire front of the building received new low-E glass curtainwalls with digitally controlled sun shading devices. The overall appearance was improved with the addition of terrazzo floors, LED lighting, metal paneling placed over the old brick work, and glass railings placed around new escalators and the open well. The result is a spacious, well-lighted, and visually more attractive space for travelers.
