November 10, 2020

Turner in line for $189M airport expansion contract

Image from Port of Seattle [enlarge]

Four levels and a mechanical penthouse will be added to the C1 Building.

The Port of Seattle selected Turner Construction for preconstruction services that could lead to a general contractor/construction manager job for the $189 million expansion of the C1 Building at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

A port spokesman said the preconstruction contract is for $2.5 million and has not been executed, although the port intends to award it to Turner. He said the port has authorized $10.7 million so far and funding will be distributed in pieces as the project progresses.

The DJC in May reported that two early hard construction cost estimates had been made: $189.2 million and $207.1 million. At the time, the port said these preliminary estimates could vary by 15%-30% on the low side and 20%-50% on the high side because designs were at a very early stage. The spokesman said the port is now aiming for the lower estimate.

The expansion will be a four-story addition of 104,000 square feet to the existing 99,000-square-foot building, which is two stories with a basement located between concourses C and D.

Renovations will be made to the below-grade baggage level, the at-grade bridge level and the concourse levels that are all above grade. New dining and retail spaces will be added at the concourse level along with new seating and a 1,300-square-foot expansion of the adjacent Gate C3 waiting area. There also will be a new mechanical penthouse, as well as a loading dock with trash compactors.

About 40,000 square feet will be reserved as office and lounge space in new and existing levels, including 7,000 square feet for lounge operators on the new levels. Other elements of the project include a post-security meditation room, a room for nursing mothers and new restrooms.

Existing baggage operations, at the baggage and bridge levels in C1, will be replaced by a centralized baggage system that is being built in three phases. PCL Construction Services earlier this year finished the first phase, which is below the central terminal. Phase two improves baggage systems to the north and phase three improves systems to the south.

New offices and storage will be built on C1's baggage and bridge levels, with space for Transportation Security Administration's central monitoring operations. The existing concourse level will get additional concession space and a new mezzanine level will add to the dining and retail mix. Levels 1-3 above will have offices and lounge space. A long skylight will channel light into a five-story atrium.

The exterior of the addition will likely be a combination of metal panels and glazed curtain wall similar to existing airport buildings.

The C1 Building was built in 2005 as the airport's baggage screening facility, with some office space. It was designed to expand to six above-grade levels.