Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) has broken ground on a new $1.4 billion 700,000 square-foot terminal project, making it the first airport in the country to be designed and built from the ground up in a post- pandemic world.
The new facility design will focus on passenger health and convenience and feature clean air technology, more space for social distancing and 90,000 square feet of outdoor terrace space – both pre- and post-security.
Scheduled to open in 2025, the new PIT terminal will also be among the most sustainable in the industry, as officials are building to LEED-certified silver or beyond. It will be powered by the airport’s microgrid, which is fueled by 10,000 solar panels and five natural gas generators. Additional plans include rainwater harvesting and other water conservation efforts.
The new terminal will consolidate operations, including ticketing, security checkpoints and baggage claim, dramatically improving the passenger experience. The single terminal design reduces passenger travel time by 50 percent to get from the curb to airside. The multi-modal complex includes a new 3,300-space parking garage, rental car facilities and entrance roadways, all designed to improve the passenger experience.
“The new terminal program is a critical infrastructure project for the region and will deliver long-term economic benefits including jobs for more than 5,500 local construction and skilled trades workers,” said Rich Fitzgerald, executive with Allegheny County, which operates PIT. “This is further proof of how our region continues to grow and develop when anchored by a thriving airport that opens the door to the world.”
The project will require more than 12,000 tons of steel, 94,000 tons of concrete and more than 354,000 square feet of wood materials, much of which the airport hopes to source locally. It’s among the largest infrastructure projects in the history of the Pittsburgh region.
Additionally, the airport announced a first-of-its-kind regional partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to proactively reduce construction site hazards and serious injuries, increase sustainability and advance an overall safer, greener construction site.
“Our vision to redefine and transform what an airport can be starts right here on this construction site with our unwavering commitment to safety every day,” said Paul Hoback, PIT chief development officer. “We’re building relationships within our community to make the new terminal program the most unique construction project anywhere in the world and the project of choice for workers in our region.”
Key design features, developed by architectural and engineering firms Gensler and HDR in association with luis vidal + architects are centered on elements of nature and sustainability, leading-edge technology, and innovation in the community.
