Salt Lake International Airport Development Thread - Page 47

Wasatch Wasteland · #**921** Posted **May 8, 2019, 11:39 AM**

This image is looking inward to the main canyon/terminal plaza area from the window curtain wall. I can't help but feel how small the "big" interior space is, especially when comparing it to other airports. Just look at the construction workers, railings, tool cabinet, and cones for scale. It seems the size of some of the newer high school cafeterias or even some larger office building lobbies. The small size of the terminal frontage and ticketing area has been debated already, but other than the concourses themselves this airport just seems very undersized.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**922** Posted **May 8, 2019, 12:06 PM**

Another point to illustrate the small size:

Here is the SLC Terminal plaza compared to the SeaTac Terminal Plaza, built in 2003 when the airport was hovering around 26 million passengers a year, nearly the same amount that Salt Lake City is currently at. Their plaza is constantly overcrowded, crammed, and too small for their current passenger use and spatial need. This is purely observation, but every time I have flown through the airport there is little to no chance of finding a seat in the plaza. As such, their current expansions and remodels of various concourses have emphasized increased public gathering, eating, and sitting space in their designs to accommodate the lack thereof.

The following pictures illustrate how SLC's plaza is less than half the size, as Seattle's is over 200 feet wider (more the twice as wide). It is also is roughly half the ceiling height, as SLC's is 56' and Seattle's is 96'.

Again, at the time of construction both plazas were/will be handling the same amount of passengers.

wrendog · #**923** Posted **May 8, 2019, 12:24 PM**

I mostly agree. As exciting as it is to see a new airport in SLC, the actual terminal is a big disappointment. That said, terminal size is more contingent on O&D numbers as opposed to overall passenger numbers and SEA has more O&D than SLC, so can't really make that comparison

Old&New · #**924** Posted **May 10, 2019, 3:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasatch Wasteland

Another point to illustrate the small size:

Here is the SLC Terminal plaza compared to the SeaTac Terminal Plaza, built in 2003 when the airport was hovering around 26 million passengers a year, nearly the same amount that Salt Lake City is currently at. Their plaza is constantly overcrowded, crammed, and too small for their current passenger use and spatial need. This is purely observation, but every time I have flown through the airport there is little to no chance of finding a seat in the plaza. As such, their current expansions and remodels of various concourses have emphasized increased public gathering, eating, and sitting space in their designs to accommodate the lack thereof.

The following pictures illustrate how SLC's plaza is less than half the size, as Seattle's is over 200 feet wider (more the twice as wide). It is also is roughly half the ceiling height, as SLC's is 56' and Seattle's is 96'.

Again, at the time of construction both plazas were/will be handling the same amount of passengers.

BUT, it seems as though our terminals will be a lot roomier than SeaTac's (based on these same images), with plenty of seating at each gate. Perhaps SeaTac's plaza is overcrowded because there aren't enough seats elsewhere in the airport?

delts145 · #**925** Posted **May 10, 2019, 10:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old&New

BUT, it seems as though our terminals will be a lot roomier than SeaTac's (based on these same images), with plenty of seating at each gate. Perhaps SeaTac's plaza is overcrowded because there aren't enough seats elsewhere in the airport?

Exactly Old&New! If reports hold true then SLC International is correcting the glaring mistakes made by many airports over the past years, SeaTac being one of them.

Sight-Seer · #**926** Posted **Jun 9, 2019, 1:19 AM**

I think people are jumping to the wrong conclusions. Some of the eating places were announced and they are scattered throughout the airport. People are meant to be dispursed all through the concourses, not congregated in one place. The concourses themselves can handle large groups of missionary greeters and senders. I think it will be found that the decentralization of the new airport is a good thing.

H4vok · #**927** Posted **Jun 14, 2019, 7:11 PM**

Newer pictures posted on the SLC airport website:

delts145 · #**928** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 11:22 AM**

Why building new airports like Salt Lake City's is rare, and what it might mean for your travel plans

By Amanda Olsen, for the Deseret News - https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...york-city.html

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City airport isn't the only one remodeling, but it's unusual in opting for a total rebuild.

Construction projects are planned for more than 50 U.S. airports and could cost up to $70 billion through 2021, according to Architectural Record.

As major airports have reached their limit of quick fixes for modernizing outdated facilities, they now have to begin major redesigns, T.J. Schulz, president of the Airports Consultants Council, told the Record.

With America settling into the summer season of travel, the stakes are high for airports — many of which were built decades ago — to accommodate the increasing numbers of globetrotters and air commuters. Cities and airline industries feel this pressure, too, and while cost is a very real deterrent for these revamping projects, failing to engage in them also risks a substantial loss of business.

Salt Lake City’s international airport, slated to open in 2020, “will be the only truly new 21st-century airport in the U.S.,” Bill Wyatt, executive director of Salt Lake City’s Department of Airports, previously told the Deseret News. The last newly constructed U.S. airport was opened in Denver in 1995.

The Salt Lake City airport’s construction project is the product of a 10-year, over-$3 billion redevelopment plan paid for by the airport’s “self-sustaining fund” and uses no taxpayer dollars, the Deseret News reported.

In addition to this funding, the airport received a $14 million grant from the Federal Aviation Association’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for runway-related construction according to an FAA announcement last week.

It's just one example of the struggle to pay for the mammoth projects that airport construction inevitably become. As you pass through the inevitable airport reconstruction and deal with the resulting travel delays expected this summer, you may have extra time to wonder how it's all being paid for and why airport remodels happen the way they do. We have some answers...

Salt Lake City Department of Airports finishes a topping out ceremony on the North Concourse of the Salt Lake City International Airport reconstruction on Tuesday, March 19, 2019. - Picture By Silas Walker

...Article Contd...Who pays for airport remodels? - https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...york-city.html

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UTAZLoVer · #**929** Posted **Jun 22, 2019, 11:43 PM**

Nonstop flights to Asia from Salt Lake City on Delta's 'drawing board' when new airport is finished

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...w-airport.html

"Salt Lake City's new airport will provide more gates for international flights, and Delta is eying nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to Seoul, South Korea, Esposito said.
"The Asian market here is actually fairly large," he said, adding that nonstop service to Seoul is "on our drawing board" and will likely be possible in "the next few years""

wrendog · #**930** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 12:57 PM**

It would be cool if it were similar to the Amsterdam flight which uses both Delta and KLM metal. Love to see Delta and Korean air provide the Seoul service. Go SLC!

jubguy3 · #**931** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 8:31 PM**

The best plane for the flight is KE’s 787 because of the altitude in SLC. With the joint venture being established and KE phasing out their first class I think it’s more likely than we think that there will be another foreign carrier in SLC in the next 2 years

atx-adam · #**932** Posted **Jun 26, 2019, 3:34 PM**

On the SLC Facebook page, they confirmed a target opening date of September 15, 2020 for the new airport.

orlandopilot · #**933** Posted **Jul 9, 2019, 5:41 PM**

Delta is upgrading SLC-LHR to year round. Seems like the load factor between the two cities has been pretty good lately.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**934** Posted **Jul 13, 2019, 2:55 AM**

It would seem that the Airport has quietly expanded the terminal by two bays to the west in the last few weeks, (despite the terminal portion being near completion) most likely to accommodate additional baggage claim areas as capacity on opening day was called into question last year. This can be seen in the aerial update photos. I combed through the board meeting minutes and found mention of it in either the April or March meeting, I can’t remember.

delts145 · #**935** Posted **Jul 19, 2019, 10:56 AM**

Public gets first glimpse into the future of Salt Lake airport

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...t-glimpse.html

wrendog · #**936** Posted **Jul 19, 2019, 6:37 PM**

Still disappointed in the size of the terminal....

Concourses will be great

jubguy3 · #**937** Posted **Jul 24, 2019, 12:42 AM**

This is exciting. Gordon Huether got commissioned to do more artwork for the airport, presumably because the art spending obligation has increased with expansion.

https://gordonhuether.com/news/addit...-intl-airport/

https://gordonhuether.com/news/salt-...irport-update/

Both of these are part of the north concourse east project so they will open in 2024. Nice to see the investment made but i will say its kind of unusual to blur the lines on what is art vs architectural for things that are mandated like this, it will be nice to have an art installation that is effectively a permanent part of the airport.

ucsbgaucho · #**938** Posted **Aug 7, 2019, 10:39 PM**

Starting Aug 16, drivers leaving the airport terminals will now exit the airport via the new multi-level roadway instead of looping around the new parking garage. They are finishing the new parking structure so you'll now leave the airport driving between the new parking garage and the new terminal. I fly out of SLC on that day and return the next morning so I'll try to post some photos if possible.
https://www.slcairport.com/assets/pd...-Alignment.pdf

delts145 · #**939** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 2:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jubguy3

This is exciting. Gordon Huether got commissioned to do more artwork for the airport, presumably because the art spending obligation has increased with expansion.

https://gordonhuether.com/news/addit...-intl-airport/

https://gordonhuether.com/news/salt-...irport-update/

Both of these are part of the north concourse east project so they will open in 2024. Nice to see the investment made but i will say its kind of unusual to blur the lines on what is art vs architectural for things that are mandated like this, it will be nice to have an art installation that is effectively a permanent part of the airport.

Thanks Jubguy for bringing that to our attention. I'm loving this artwork. I have to laugh a bit though, that tunnel is going to be pretty trippy(in a good way). I'm sure the artwork in the new SLC International is going to garner a lot of smiles and attention from the millions of world travelers passing through.

https://gordonhuether.com/wp-content...-1-768x432.jpg

airhero · #**940** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

Starting Aug 16, drivers leaving the airport terminals will now exit the airport via the new multi-level roadway instead of looping around the new parking garage. They are finishing the new parking structure so you'll now leave the airport driving between the new parking garage and the new terminal. I fly out of SLC on that day and return the next morning so I'll try to post some photos if possible.
https://www.slcairport.com/assets/pd...-Alignment.pdf

I've been wondering if they would do this. I was there yesterday and the roadway is looking basically finished. It will be nice to get a closer look at the new terminal and concourse when driving through! We're still over a year out from opening.