$130M airport fix seen as ‘big deal’ for region

——

Project highlights

* A new second-floor addition with a large food court

* Reconstruction, new look of the airport entrance

* Reconstruction of the economy parking lot

* Remodled concourses with new connections

—-

An artist’s rendering of the terminal entrance shows a sleeker, futuristic steel and glass facade that should provide plenty of natural illumination for travelers.

It’s the largest renovation to the terminal since a parking garage was added in 2011.

The heavy construction work on the facade will take about 18 months, but additional tasks like relocating retailers, rental car company service desks and the USO could take more than two years and be completed sometime in the spring of 2018.

The six-inch-tall curb at the entrance will be removed to make the terminal more easily accessible for the disabled.

“It will change the face of the terminal and the customer experience,” Terry Slaybaugh, Director of Aviation for the city of Dayton, said. “It’s a big deal for the city to make this investment in city infrastructure.”

“For most air travelers, the Dayton airport is their first impression of Dayton,” Acting City Manager Shelley Dickstein said. “The terminal renovation project will be the most visible work that will be done and will not only provide a great first impression to travelers, it will make the airport easier to navigate for those with disabilities.”

A reconstruction of the economy parking lot at a cost of up to $14 million begins this summer.

The airport’s Business Travelers Center will be upgraded and refurbished this year too, said Phil Parker, President of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, which partners with the city to operate the center. The center is getting better WiFi equipment, direct internet connections and new furnishings.

Behind the scenes, over the next three years the airport is also upgrading its energy system, adding a $9 million back-up battery array in addition to diesel generators already in place for faster power restoration when electricity is lost.

Sewer, heating and cooling, air handlingand water systems are also being modernized. Energy savings of 25 percent should result, estimates say.

The earliest phases of the terminal renovation will mean jobs for about 100 construction workers.

This week, the Federal Aviation Administration signed off on the airport’s use of passenger fee proceeds to pay for a $28 million bond issue, clearing the way for the bond sale that will happen later this year.

The airport sold $22 million in bonds last year for the long-term project. Slaybaugh said he’s lined up financing for $88 million of the projected construction costs. The first request for bids from contractors will be issued in late May, Slaybaugh said.

A new second floor addition to the terminal at a cost of $52 million will include a large food court. That construction won’t begin until 2021, Slaybaugh said. Renovations to the concourses and demolitions of the existing connections to the concourses are slated for 2024.

Slaybaugh will be seeking funding over the next 10 years for the additional phases.

“Both the enhancements to the Business Travelers Center and the airport structure are all customer friendly-focused,” Parker said. “We believe they will enhance the traveler’s experience at Dayton International Airport.”

Jon Crusey, Vandalia City Manager, said the upgrades should have an impact on attracting business to the community.

“Many of our local businesses are in Vandalia because of our proximity to the airport, and their future success is tied to the airport remaining a state-of-the-art facility with the appropriate amenities,” he said.

The airport, with traffic of more than two million travelers annually, generates about $30 million in revenue each year largely from parking and airline fees and retail tenants, so no general city funds are expected in financing the improvements, Slaybaugh said.

“It’s about continuing to invest in the Dayton airport because it’s a huge economic driver in the region,” Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said. “We want the experience for the traveler to be easy, upgraded and top-of-the-line.”