Tampa International Airport unveils progress on new 16-gate Airside D terminal
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport officials provided the public with the first detailed look at the future of the airport as construction continues on the airport's new Airside D terminal.
Airport officials on Thursday showcased the progress being made on the $1.5 billion project, which will become Tampa International Airport's first new airside terminal in nearly two decades.
Progress on Tampa airport terminal
What we know:
While Airside D is still largely a framework of concrete and steel, significant construction milestones have already been reached, according to airport leaders.
Several precast concrete elevator towers have been installed and will serve as the shafts for 11 of the terminal's 15 elevators.
The elevators will support passenger, cargo and service operations throughout the facility.
Crews are also installing the steel beams that will form the structure of the new terminal.
Last month, workers began placing steel girders that will support the automated shuttle guideway connecting the terminal to the rest of the airport.
Large scale project
Dig deeper:
"It's a 16 gate, 600,000 square foot airside that we're building, both for international and domestic traffic," said Dan Seeley, Tampa International Airport's Director of Construction.
Construction crews say the work will continue moving rapidly as the building takes shape.
"As the steel goes up, anywhere where we didn't place the concrete underneath, the concrete's going to follow right behind. Right behind that is the masons, right behind that's the drywall, the mechanical, the electrical, the plumbing," said Kevin Curry, General Superintendent of Hensel Phelps Construction.
Florida aviation expansion impact
Why you should care:
Airside D represents the final phase of Tampa International Airport's master plan, which began in 2012.
The facility will feature two floors and a mezzanine level and will serve as the airport's new hub for both international and domestic flights. Plans also include a modern U.S. Customs facility designed to accommodate future growth in international travel.
Courtesy: Tampa International Airport
"We're going to expand, have more international gates and add a capacity for our future needs," Seeley said.
Airport officials say the project is designed to meet the demands of a rapidly growing Tampa Bay region.
Future transit capacity timeline
What's next:
Construction on Airside D will continue over the next several years, with crews moving from structural work to interior systems and finishes as the building progresses.
Airport leaders say the new terminal will help position Tampa International Airport for decades of future growth.
"It's huge, it's really putting Tampa on the map, creating a marquee project like this showing that we have the capacity, the demand, the need for this really shows how much Tampa is growing and how we can support it, and we're going to have first-class, world-class facilities," Seeley said.
The Source: Information for this story comes from interviews with Tampa International Airport Director of Construction Dan Seeley and Hensel Phelps Construction General Superintendent Kevin Curry.