The Gateway Airport terminal expansion project in Phoenix, Arizona, with a budget of $28 million, has reached a significant milestone as construction has been completed. To celebrate this achievement, the airport officials organized a topping-out ceremony. The general contractor, McCarthy Building Companies, and DWL Architects + Planners were also present at the event.
J. Brian O’Neill, CEO of Gateway Airport, emphasized the critical importance of the terminal expansion project to accommodate future growth. The airport experienced double-digit passenger growth in fiscal year 2023, with a total of 1.9 million passengers, a 5.6% increase compared to the previous year.
Gateway Airport terminal expansion: Number of gates
The Gateway Airport terminal expansion project involves replacing a 13-year-old temporary structure with a 30,000-square-foot terminal. The new expansion will feature five permanent gates, an increase from the previous four-gate structure. Passengers will also have access to ticket counters and security checkpoints through a glass pedestrian walkway. The new terminal will offer retail and food concessions, storage areas, and airline support offices. The project was designed to be energy efficient and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In addition to the recent terminal expansion, the airport has undertaken various developments over the years. Currently, the airport has a total of nine gates, including three added to a temporary prefabricated area in late 2022. McCarthy completed this temporary addition to accommodate increased capacity during the busy holiday travel season.
The Gateway Airport terminal expansion is scheduled to be completed by February 2024, just in time for the spring travel rush. McCarthy’s project director, Thomas Assante, expressed the company’s commitment to minimizing disruptions to airport operations during the project and reiterated their determination to finish on schedule and within budget.
The funding for the terminal expansion project comes from a $14.4 million federal grant awarded to Gateway Airport under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
