After experiencing some turbulence and a long delay, the Hollywood Burbank Airport is a major step closer to having a new terminal, a project one official hailed as the most significant in the airport’s history.
In December, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Commission awarded the design-build contract for its new terminal to a joint venture group, much of which is based locally. The terminal will ultimately replace a nearly century-old one with a contemporary facility that meets modern safety standards and represents a more efficient design.
The Holder, Pankow, TEC Joint Venture has now begun preconstruction work on the terminal replacement, titled ElevateBUR, which Burbank voters overwhelmingly approved in a 2016 referendum. The team includes Pasadena-based Pankow Builders, Inglewood-based TEC Constructors & Engineers and Atlanta-based firm Holder Construction, among a variety of other contributors. Local subcontractors have also already begun inquiring about working on the project.
Nearly every party to the joint venture has experience with projects at Los Angeles International Airport and other projects throughout Los Angeles County.
For the initial work, the joint venture was allotted $55 million and is expected to present three design renderings to the commission for consideration in April. Officials have not commented on an expected price tag, anticipating that to come into focus this spring.
This new terminal will replace a building originally constructed in 1930 and will be located on the north side of the east-west runway, across from the current terminal. It will boast 14 gates, the same number the airport currently has. The relocation and new construction will include modern Federal Aviation Administration regulations, seismic protections and likely a large sustainability footprint. Such goals could be represented by energy efficient fixtures and wastewater capture, for example.
Officials expect to open the new terminal in October 2026, after which they will have a year to demolish the existing building. This timeline was impacted by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, which shelved the project for about 18 months.
