$1.1 Billion Revamp Largest Civil Project In City's History

When you think about premier commercial airports in the United States, LAX may come to mind... or, perhaps, Dallas-Fort Worth International. You might even think of JFK, Dulles, or O'Hare. Chances are, Indianapolis International Airport (IND) wouldn't make your list... but the airport is taking a dedicated, and pricey, step towards changing that.

The Indianapolis Airport Authority is nearly done with a $1.1 billion redevelopment project, aimed at bringing IND into the big time. It's the largest civil project ever in the history of the midwestern city... and is but one step in a larger campaign to make the Indiana state capital a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

"We wanted to create a memorable new image for the city while at the same time take some of the stress out of flying," John J. Kish, the executive director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority, told The New York Times.

At the center of the massive remodeling effort at IND ("reimaging" may be a more appropriate term) is a new main terminal, designed by architect Ripley A. Rasmus of the HOK Group. The 1.2 million square-foot structure is composed of steel and glass, with a swooping roofline intended to invoke images of flight.

In an effort to make the airport feel more accessible, even in an age of heightened security, the terminal sports a massive center hall open to both passengers and visitors alike. A five-story window wall offers views of downtown Indianapolis; additional retail space offers more room for high-end shops, and fine dining options.

"It's a building on the scale of the great train terminals of the 19th century," Rasmus said. "It's a Union Station-scale space... It's the place where you have your first and last impression of the city. It also has the seating capacity of a basketball arena, if the airport is having a really bad day."

The terminal is meant to be functional, too. Initially, the new building will open with 40 gates, six more than the current structure... but it will be able to support as many as 100 gates. Security checkpoints are located in two large halls, one per concourse, that also offer separate entrances for airport employees.

"In the past, everybody went through the same checkpoint," Kish said. "If you were a vendor delivering supplies, you used the same hallways as the passengers. Now we have segregated passageways for vendors."

As is befitting a modern airport, the new IND terminal is also intended to be "green." Daytime light is diffused by overhead skylights, reducing excess heat... which in turn decreases the amount of energy needed to run air-conditioning during hot Indiana summers. The terminal's floor-mounted radiant heat-and-air conditioning system is designed to be used only in areas that people occupy, further lowering electric bills.

"Green" efforts also extend to the ramp areas, which sport water-recycling systems designed to remove deicing chemicals from runoff. "This is a fairly deep green project," Rasmus said. "It will be notably more energy-efficient, comfortable and well integrated in terms of systems than most airports."

Kish hopes the massive refurbishment will bring IND passenger-traffic numbers up to the levels the airport enjoys on the freight side. The airport is home to a major FedEx hub... but only ranks 45th in terms of passengers traveling through its gates.

"The terminal has an economic function," Kish said. "Hopefully, it will encourage more direct flights and more international flights from Indianapolis."

The new airport is slated to open October 28 of this year.

FMI: www.newindianapolisairport.com