Tampa International Airport Receiving $122 Million Renovation

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This week the Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Skanska / HOK design-build team unveiled the design for a major renovation and expansion of the airport's main passenger terminal.

Expected to be complete in November 2017, the terminal expansion and modernization is part of an initial expansion phase that will eventually double the capacity of the airport, which currently serves more than 17 million passengers per year, while elevating the travel experience for guests. Led by a design-build partnership between HOK and Skanska, the terminal project builds on TPA's focus on providing an exceptional guest experience and convenience for customers.

The design transforms the existing facility into an open and airy terminal, with primary east- and west-facing curtain wall and metal panels enveloping the terminal's concrete aesthetic. Custom glass will signify entries into the new shuttle stations. Privacy glass will enclose restaurant and event spaces while delivering natural light deep into the space.

The project adds 55,000 square feet - roughly the size of a football field - to the terminal's third-floor transfer level. This expanded level will have nearly 15,000 square feet of indoor public seating in addition to large outdoor terraces. Pushing back shuttle enclosures and moving restaurants to the perimeter opens up a central area for new retail complemented by comfortable lounge seating. The increased spaciousness, improved sightlines and ample daylight will provide an enjoyable guest experience and improve way finding while accommodating premium concessions and advertising. The design also creates distinct private spaces with work space for business travelers, family areas, green plant zones and art installations.

"We are thrilled to work with such a visionary airport client," said Leesa Coller, AIA, HOK's design principal for the project. "TPA was the world's first airport to use a hub-and-spoke plan, in which passengers are shuttled from a central terminal to satellites, and the first to utilize automated people movers. Based on significant input from stakeholders in the Tampa Bay region, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, and airport officials and staff, our design expands and enhances the original terminal design. TPA will be able to accommodate incremental long-term growth while improving the services it provides to passengers, airlines and all of its tenants."

For arriving passengers, the customer-friendly experience will begin at one of the airport's four airsides. "Each airside portrays a distinct aspect of the Tampa Bay area - breezy and beautiful beaches, the region's vibrant art scene, the city's rich historic roots or the inherent verdant tropical vegetation - integrated with a new comprehensive concessions program," said Coller.

"TPA's vision and HOK's iconic design for the main terminal will create a new front door to the Tampa Bay community," said Beth Bernitt, ASID, a senior vice president in HOK's Tampa office. "The project will directly contribute to regional economic development by making the terminal a true destination."

"With the airport's renovation and expansion project, we have the opportunity to continue our partnership with one of Florida's busiest airports and lead its expansion, which represents an important economic engine for this region," said Fred Hames, executive vice president and general manager at Skanska USA Building in Florida. "We have assembled a world-class team led by Skanska and HOK with the goal of adding long-term value to the airport and enhancing the travel experience."

The terminal project is a component in TPA's $943-million Phase I master plan, which includes a new consolidated car rental center and a 1.4-mile automated people mover system.