RDU Airport, NC – The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority today awarded the bid for the demolition work on the airport’s expansion and renovation of Terminal C to D.H. Griffin Construction Company of Raleigh. The bid includes the demolition of approximately 150,000 square feet of the existing terminal concourse and 30,000 square feet of the existing ticketing and baggage claim areas. D.H. Griffin’s $4.6 million bid was the lowest of three received for the work, which is set to begin later this fall.
The demolition phase of the project will focus on the north concourse of Terminal C, which has not been occupied by an airline since Midway Airlines closed its doors in 2002. The project will include the removal of the existing roof, demolition of all utilities and building systems, removal of all demolition materials and the relocation of the public address system. When possible, building systems and materials from the terminal will be salvaged and reused or recycled.
The demolition phase is set to begin later this fall. The first elements of the project will take place behind the scenes as the contractor begins removing and relocating necessary utilities and equipment. Temporary walls separating the north end of the terminal from the south will go up in October. Passengers traveling this holiday season will not be impacted by the demolition work.
The south side of the terminal will remain operational throughout the expansion and renovation project. American Airlines, American Eagle, United Express and Air Canada will continue to offer service in Terminal C.
When completed, major features of the terminal will include a new north concourse, expanded ticketing and security checkpoint areas and a new federal inspection facility for the processing of international flights.
Nine major airlines and eight regional carriers currently offer service at RDU. Thirteen of these airlines operate out of Terminal A, which over the years has undergone several changes to accommodate the growing number of airlines that entered the market after American Airlines closed its hub in 1995.
To accommodate these airlines, a $1 billion terminal master plan was developed in the late 1990s. The plan called for the construction of a new terminal facility. In 2002, RDU acquired the leasehold to Terminal C from American Airlines, allowing the Authority to focus its development efforts on the existing terminal. The new plan cut the cost of redevelopment by more than half and greatly decreased the inconvenience to passengers during the construction process.
The Terminal C expansion and renovation project will allow RDU to realize the full potential of the terminal by creating more air service opportunities for existing and new airlines that may require more ticketing and gate space. When the project is completed, some of the airlines currently located in the overcrowded Terminal A will move to Terminal C.
###