Big changes are in store for the Boise Airport, and they keep coming.
First, the airport announced a host of new retail and dining options that could open as soon as next year. Then, there was word of a new concourse, featuring up to 10 additional gates, that travelers can enjoy by the end of the decade.
The city has budgeted nearly $42.5 million for the concourse project, which will be carried out by Denver-based Fentress Architects.
The announcement comes as the demands of the Boise Airport continue to grow significantly. The last decade has brought “an 82% increase in passenger traffic,” with the airport “reaching 4.75 million passengers in 2023,” according to a press release from the airport.
Under current conservative estimates for 2030, the airport expects to see around 3 million enplanements, with total passengers served estimated at 6 million. This would constitute a 26% increase over BOI's record year in 2023, Beth Sumner, airport engineering deputy director, said in an emailed statement.
The concourse will be part of the BOI Upgrade capital development program, created to address the influx of travelers.
This concourse addition will be the first time the Boise Airport has partnered with Fentress Architects. On the decision to move forward with this partnership, Sean Briggs, deputy director of parking and landside facilities, stated that the firm received the highest evaluation score after being interviewed by an independent evaluation committee for the concourse.
The firm will be designing the airport’s new Concourse A. Under the timeline set by the Boise City Council, Fentress Architects will have five years and an optional sixth year to complete the concourse.
The firm brings airport redesign and expansion experience, having worked at “BNA in Nashville, PDX in Portland and CHS in Charleston,” Briggs stated, adding that the firm was known for “creating a strong sense of place that reflects the local region.”
The new concourse will be located on the West wing of the airport, located opposite concourse B, to the right after passengers get through check-in security.
According to Briggs, the added concourse will feature “up to 10 additional gates, restrooms, restaurants, retail shops, seating and waiting areas.” At this stage in the design process, there remains “potential for additional amenities being explored,” Briggs said, in an emailed statement.
The airport as currently constructed has two concourses providing 24 total gates.
The $42 million expansion will be funded through multiple sources, including “passenger facility charges and airport operating revenues such (as) rental income, landing fees and concession revenue,” Briggs stated. The airport has clarified that no taxpayer money will be used.
Under the BOI Upgrade capital development program, some objectives have already been completed to address increased demand including the establishment of an expanded security checkpoint and the “construction of new public and employee parking garages,” the release said. More projects are still underway, such as the construction of a new rental car garage.
In addition to added utility, the new concourse is expected to mark a shift for the airport in terms of design.
REFLECTING BOISE’S CULTURE
As a firm based outside of Idaho, Fentress Architects has been looking to local firms to assist with ensuring the design remains true to Boise and the state of Idaho more broadly. The Boise-based ZGA Architects, Eagle-based The Land Group and the Boise branch of Cator Ruma will all be working in coordination with Fentress on the project.
“We’re the local boots on the ground,” Tyler Richelieu, ZGA’s marketing and business development director, said. “We’re their eyes and ears and boots … we’re only five minutes from the airport, so we could be there at the drop of a hat.”
Richelieu said that a lot of the discussion between ZGA and Fentress has been focused around making sure the concourse reflected the culture of the city of Boise. He described the airport as “very generic,” a look that was once fine, but is in need of change as industry standards, as well as the city of Boise, has continued to evolve.
The design language set by Fentress Architects will be reflected in other areas of the airport to help with “unifying the design language of the airport,” Richelieu said. The hope is that the new concourse will help the airport leave an impression whether passengers are coming or going.
“I think the city really wanted to set that notion of, you’re in Boise, this is now a destination,” Richelieu said. “It’s one of the top places to live, we have to look at the airport being a gateway. It’s a lot of people’s first hello, goodbye and see you soon.”
IMPACT AND FUTURE ADDITIONS
Though construction of the new concourse will be a large, time-consuming undertaking, its development isn’t expected to get in the way of traveling.
“The construction of the new concourse is expected to have minimal impact on travelers,” Briggs stated. “Since Concourse A will extend to the west, the existing concourses will remain fully operational and unaffected.”
When it comes to what BOI travelers want more out of their airport, Briggs stated two of the more common requests “are for Starbucks and an expanded cell phone waiting area,” both of which are planned to come in 2025. For air travel specifically, the request is “more flights to more destinations,” a goal that the concourse is looking to help realize.
“Expanding the concourse will enable BOI to accommodate additional flights, especially during peak times,” Briggs stated. “From a passenger amenity perspective, a primary request from Boise residents for the Boise Airport to maintain its current ease of use and to maintain its strong sense of place.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0