Prepare for landing: Orlando International Airport appears to be clearing the runway to start construction on the first piece of its $1.8 billion south terminal.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) this week applied for two permits from the South Florida Water Management District, documents showed. Here’s a closer look at the requests:
- An environmental-resource permit for “South Terminal C-Phase 1 Landside Terminal,” which includes a central energy plant, security checkpoint, ground transportation facility, roadways and associated infrastructure, documents showed.
- A construction/operation modification for “South Terminal C-Phase 1 Airside Terminal,” including apron and taxiway areas, plus use of the existing stormwater management system for the project.
The new terminal is part of the airport’s massive $3.1 billion capital improvement plan that will allow the airport to to welcome up to 10 million more passengers and bolster Central Florida’s $60 billion travel industry.
The 16-gate terminal will feature a dining, shopping and entertainment area that will have a giant glass window overlooking the runways, as Orlando Business Journal previously reported. Fentress Architects LLC and HNTB Corp.are the project designer and architect, respectively.
The new security checkpoint area will process up to 1,750 customers per hour and may expand in the future.
Construction on the new south terminal is slated to begin in May and is set for a 2018 completion.