Raleigh-Durham: New $350 Million Terminal

Though related demolition work is just beginning, Raleigh-Durham International Airport's new $350 million Terminal C will be one of the next shiny, new terminals in the Southeast.

Designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects of Denver - designers of Denver International Airport - it is envisioned as reflecting the rolling hills of North Carolina. The architect's plan for the project was unveiled in March.

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"Technology and airports' needs rapidly change, and security procedures, in particular, are now more than ever in a state of flux," architect Curtis Fentress said in a released statement. "Having a facility that accommodates change is the key to a successful airport terminal building."

In mid-September, the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority awarded a $4.6 million contract to D.H. Griffin Construction Co. of Raleigh for the demolition of approximately 150,000 sq. ft. of the existing terminal concourse and 30,000 sq. ft. of the ticketing and baggage claim areas.

The airport authority said construction of the new terminal was scheduled to begin in mid-2005. The redevelopment of the north concourse will be completed in 2008, with all construction completed in 2009.

Meanwhile, Lane Construction Corp. of Meriden, Conn., was moving forward with its $24.7 million Taxiway D relocation and apron work for Terminal C. URS Corp. of Morrisville, N.C., was the project's civil engineer.

JetBlue: New Training Facility in Orlando

JetBlue Airways broke ground in May at Orlando International Airport for the construction of its flight-training center and a new hangar for aircraft maintenance and LiveTV installation and maintenance. The company split the work with a pair of general contracts.

Hensel Phelps Construction Co. of Orlando will handle the hangar facility, while Suitt Construction Co. of Maitland is building the training center.

Hensel Phelps is design-building the 70,000-sq.-ft. hangar and accompanying 29,000 sq. ft. of office and shop space. The hangar, scheduled to be complete by early 2005, is a pre-engineered metal building. In September, the contractor was progressing with structural work as concrete slabs were being poured.

The hangar will be used for aircraft maintenance as well as the installation and maintenance of the airline's LiveTV in-flight satellite television system.

Suitt's 80,000-sq.-ft. training center project has the capacity for eight flight simulators and two cabin simulators, plus classrooms, cabin crew training equipment, training pool, firefighting training station and administration areas. The airline will use the facility for the initial and continuous training of all JetBlue pilots and in-flight crew, plus support training for its technical operations and customer service crew. Construction of the training center is scheduled to be completed in late 2005.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said: "I am proud that JetBlue chose the city of Orlando for this expansion project. JetBlue assists the city and metro Orlando community in our efforts to diversify our economy, create high paying jobs and grow our simulation industry."

The architect for the training center is Rubin & Rotman Architects of Quebec. According to JetBlue, the combined cost for the two facilities will be approximately $160 million.

TIA's Airside C: Curtainwall System

Subcontractor Harmon Inc. of Tampa began erecting the curtain-wall system at Tampa International Airport's Airside C in July. The anticipated 18-week erection schedule would give the contractor a late 2004 timetable for its work.

Harmon manufactured and assembled the units at its Orlando facility and then trucked them into the site as they were required for erection. Project officials expected to reach an erection pace of roughly eight sections per day.

It's a unique use of materials at TIA, said Ed Jenkinson, former project manager for general contractor Beck Group.

"It's going to be the first building (at TIA) that's all glass, with clear, anodized aluminum frames," he said. "Aesthetically this building is going to look a lot different."

Albert Alfonso, president of project architect Alfonso Architects of Tampa, explained his selection of a glass curtain-wall system.

"We tried to make the roof plane - which sort of has this long curving arch - as simple and uncluttered as possible," he said. "So it's like you have this floating wing that floats over the building."

He added that by going with a more transparent glass, "We tried to disengage the roof plane from the floor plane, and one of the ways to do it was to make the building seem more transparent."

New Garage at Charleston International

Gulf Stream Construction Co. of North Charleston, S.C., began its work on a $22.5 million, 1,200-plus-space parking garage at Charleston International Airport early this year. The new facility will also provide curbside rain cover and covered crosswalks.

The project was funded by a federal grant that the authority credited U.S. Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, D-S.C., for helping to secure.

The garage has been designed by HNTB's Atlanta offices and LS3P Associates of Charleston. A fall 2005 completion is expected.

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