New GFK Terminal
At tomorrow night's Grand Forks city council meeting, council members will see a presentation about the new passenger terminal being planned for Grand Forks International Airport. According to the presentation, construction will take place from 2009-2011 and the finished structure is estimated to cost around $21 million.
Update -10/13/2008 - 11:48 PM
Here is a description of the new terminal and some more pictures courtesy of the JLG Architects website:
Designed for efficiency, improved circulation, and future expansion, the new Grand Forks International Terminal offers a comfortable traveling environment within a “Wow Factor” showpiece for the State. Located on a new site, the two-level terminal provides two gates capable of boarding aircraft from the Saab SF340A to the Boeing B757-300 through a passenger bridge with access to all planes, including commuter flights. Space outside the facility includes curbside loading, parking for 400 vehicles, car rental facilities, and a new aircraft apron. Materials, including stone, metal panels, concrete masonry units, and glass curtain wall, were selected to fit the landscape, as well as evoke the concepts of flight. In order to avoid a “visual shadow” for the control tower, the front of the Terminal is slightly higher than the back.
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9 comments:
looks slightly better than the old one, but my favorite part of that rendering is the white SUV with the Grand Forks logo on it...
I think it looks great. Has a nice modern feel to it. It would take alot of money to fix up the old terminal to bring it to the standards of this new one.
Wow, it looks really nice, almost too nice. I hope we're not spending too much, afterall, at GFK passengers are in and out quickly, it's really just a pass through building.
My first thoughts were that they were not building it big enough (something the city has done in the past with other projects/buildings to cut costs). The proposed 50,000 sq ft terminal would be slightly bigger than Minot's 40,000 sq ft terminal, but still smaller than Bismarck's 80,000 sq ft and Fargo's 120,000-125,000 sq ft (think that's what Fargo's Hector is or close to it). Don't get me wrong, the size of the new terminal would probably be ok for today, I was looking down the road, usually when you build you factor in the next 25-50 years. I see that they are designing it for future expansion though, so that issue is covered. It is a sharp/modern looking terminal that I feel will benefit Grand Forks now for years to come.
Its so nice to see GFK expanding. I love to travel but this terminal is one of the smallest I've ever seen. I for one love the fact that GF is growing and see a lot of potential here. Small town mentality is something to be proud of, but international airports should encourage growth.
I actually have more time to comment now that my child isn't crawling all over me ... my comment about it being "too nice" was just the aesthetic look of it ... the glass walls, high ceilings. I just wonder if all those eye pleasing styles are smart in a frigid northern climate where the wind whips across the empty fields? I wonder how inefficient it will be to heat. Grand Forks is trying to be a green city and with the opportunity to start from scratch on a building I would have expected incorporating more 21st century energy efficient features and styles. I agree that the size is right on, it's crazy how small the airport is now.
One thing that seems like a major oversight is NO COVERED PARKING. C'mon! It would be nice to come back from a trip and not have to shovel your car out. I'd think this would be even bigger deal for Canadians. who appear anxious to fly Allegiant.
"I wonder how inefficient it will be to heat."
If I remember correctly, officials were once saying something about geothermal heating at the terminal...I wonder if anyone is still considering that. It would be pretty cool if the city could have geothermal heating at its airport and the ability to turn its garbage and/or landfill gases into energy.
Actually that plans for the new terminal look a lot like the Bismarck airport.
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