Airport terminal project ending

Contract favored for final updates

After more than 10 years and more than $90 million, the end is near on work to modernize the passenger terminal at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/ Adams Field in Little Rock.

An arm of the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission on Tuesday recommended awarding a $5.3 million contract to revamp the second-floor presecurity lobby area, the last section of the terminal left to update.

The face-lift will include new storefronts; ceiling, wall and floor finishes; lighting and fire-protection systems; video display walls; and public art. The project also involves renovating the River Bend restaurant, changes that would create some meeting rooms, and an additional space for meeters and greeters who congregate in the atrium, also called the lobby.

“Once finished, that presecurity lobby area, the appearance of it will mirror the ticket lobby and, of course, some of the finishes you see in the concourse,” said Shane Carter, the airport spokesman. “That’s the final piece.”

The most expensive and

potentially disruptive aspect of the project involves replacing the aging escalators and replacing one elevator and adding a second. They carry passengers between the pre-security lobby area and the ticket lobby and baggage claim area on the ground floor.

At least one elevator likely will be in use throughout the duration of the project, according to Tom Clarke, the airport’s properties, planning and development director.

At least one escalator will be in use while the other is replaced. But the escalators are old and weren’t designed to be reversed, Clarke said.

“At some point we will only have one escalator either up or down so the public will have to use the elevators during that period,” he said. “It will be a challenge.” Stairs connecting the ticket lobby and the pre-security lobby will remain accessible.

The project was awarded to Flynco Inc., a Little Rock contractor that has done extensive work at the airport. It is working on restaurants in the concourse for the airport’s concessionaire, HMSHost.

Flynco was one of two responsive bidders, the other being Alessi Keyes Construction. The North Little Rock contractor’s bid was $5.5 million.

The lease and consultant selection committee recommendation goes to the full commission for final approval on Tuesday. Work is expected to begin in March and last 11 months, Carter said.

The idea to modernize the terminal dates to 2008 after airport officials ruled out replacing the nearly 50-year-old facility.

The main part of the terminal underwent a $67 million upgrade that was completed in 2013. Central to its modernization was the installation of an automated baggage-handling system, which uses a series of conveyor belts to carry bags from the ticket counter through an explosives-detection system in a new building, constructed on the east side of the terminal, and then to the airlines.

The modernization included a $26 million makeover of the passenger concourse. It replaced 806 seats with ones that are equipped with charging stations that allow passengers to charge cellphones and other electronic devices. That project also renovated the 12 gate areas, replaced jet bridges and made other improvements.