The Nation's Newest Airport Terminal Opens in Southwest Florida
Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 12:00 CDT
The newest airport terminal in the United States - and one of the first built from the ground up since Sept. 11 - opened today at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. The last flight to deliver passengers to the old, 17-gate terminal arrived on Thursday evening, and flight operations moved to the new facility overnight. This morning, passengers on a 6 a.m. flight to Atlanta were the first to use the new 28-gate terminal.
The terminal is one of the first in the U.S. to incorporate current security equipment and procedures into its design, resulting in a seamless baggage check-in experience for passengers. The $438 million project includes the new two-story terminal, a new taxiway and related roadways. The new parking garage, with rental car facilities on the ground floor, is located directly across from the terminal, eliminating the need for rental car shuttles.
DMJM Aviation Inc., the firm that managed the design and construction of the terminal complex, surveyed stakeholders early in the project's design process and used their input to shape the new facility.
"A strong message was that the airport should reflect the character of the region," said Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., executive director of the Lee County Port Authority, which operates the airport. "When people step off a plane and into the airport, they should immediately know they're in Southwest Florida."
A combination of metal roofs, keystone and wood give the terminal a distinct tropical Florida feel. One-foot-square tiles depicting seashells accent concourse floors. High ceilings, walls of glass and clerestory windows allow natural light to flood the terminal, and native vegetation flanks six entry vestibules. Southwest Florida scenes captured by Alan Maltz, the official fine-art photographer of VISIT FLORIDA, welcome travelers and enhance the terminal's regional focus.
The old terminal will be closed and eventually demolished to allow for new commercial opportunities to increase airport revenues.
Southwest Florida International Airport opened in May 1983 and reached its capacity seven years earlier than predicted. The airport served more than 6.7 million passengers during 2004. The new terminal will have the capacity for 10 million passengers annually. To learn more, log onto http://www.flylcpa.com.
Source: Business Wire
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