Walsh Construction celebrates unveiling of LaGuardia Airport's new Terminal B Headhouse

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Jun 10, 2020, 14:37 ET

NEW YORK, June 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Walsh Construction, along with joint venture partner Skanska USA, joined New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to celebrate the unveiling of LaGuardia Airport's new Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall (Headhouse). Walsh Construction and Skanska USA, operating as the design-build joint venture of Skanska-Walsh, in partnership with HOK and WSP, was brought on by LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the private developer and operator of Terminal B, for the design and construction of the new 850,000-square-foot Headhouse.

Interior view of LaGuardia Terminal B (image credit LaGuardia Gateway Partners)

The four-level Headhouse is the new main entrance for passengers traveling through LaGuardia Airport's Terminal B, featuring 60-foot-tall ceilings and a glass façade that fills the massive hall with natural light. The first floor is reserved for ground transportation arrivals, floor two houses the arrivals hall and baggage claim, with passenger check-in located on the third level, and concourse bridges, retail and restaurants reside on the fourth level. The Headhouse design allows airport customers and employees a seamless integration with the new west parking garage, new concourses, and the Central Hall, which is currently under construction and will connect to Terminal C.

"The new Headhouse is the flagship component to LaGuardia's new Terminal B, and Walsh Construction is proud to join our design and construction partners in unveiling the terminal's new front door," said Dan Walsh, co-chairman of Walsh Construction. "The Headhouse completion is a tremendous accomplishment for all stakeholders. We thank the Port Authority, our outstanding managing partner Skanska, and the subcontractor and trade communities for their trusted partnership as we worked hand-in-hand to deliver this facility to the citizens of New York and its visitors."

Building LaGuardia Airport's Terminal B

The redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport and the new Terminal B, which began in 2016, is a complex multi-phase effort led by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the State of New York that required extensive planning and precise execution. The new Headhouse resides on the site of the old West Parking Garage, which was replaced with a seven-story, 3,100 space Terminal B Parking Garage that opened in February of 2018.

The Skanska-Walsh team also completed construction of the Terminal B Eastern Concourse in 2018. The Eastern Concourse's cutting-edge design and customer amenities allow travelers ample space across 18 gates. Terminal B will have 35 total gates upon completion of the second (western) concourse. The Terminal B Headhouse will also connect to both concourses via two pedestrian bridges. The first bridge, opening today, is 420 feet long at an elevation of 65 feet. Aircraft will have space to taxi underneath, eliminating runway bottlenecks that plagued the old airport design. LaGuardia is the first airport in the nation with this innovative pedestrian bridge design that spans active taxi lanes.

The Headhouse contains Terminal B's baggage handling system, totaling over seven miles, roughly two miles of walkways, and 1,200 energy-reducing motors. The inventive baggage claim system runs throughout the airports walls and ceilings.

Beyond the Headhouse, new infrastructure will surround the airport with more than eight miles of new roadways, 17 new roadway bridges, almost two miles of new aircraft taxiway space and 16 fewer traffic lights.

Building with Modern Technologies

The advanced techniques and modern technologies employed by the Skanska-Walsh team were crucial for the intricate execution of LaGuardia's Terminal B and Headhouse. The team developed the project phasing using a series of 3D and 4D – or time dependent – models that allowed the visualization of the future layout of the airport throughout the duration of the project. Project leaders were able to measure progress with 360-degree photography and laser scanning to keep pace with real-time construction updates, collaborate with subcontractors, and quickly resolve construction challenges across the complex project site.

Building with Environment and Community in mind

In August of 2019, the Terminal B project was recognized by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) with Envision Platinum Certification, ISI's highest level of recognition for "assessing sustainability and resilience in infrastructure." This project was the first to be recognized by ISI under their newest Envision v3 framework, which evaluates projects across 64 criteria to measure dedication to sustainable building methods.

The Skanska-Walsh team developed systems to reduce waste, recycle materials, and reduce the project's environmental impact. The team was able to recycle 21,604 tons of concrete during the initial parking garage demolition. Over 10% of this recycled concrete was used on the adjacent job site. Overall, over 99% of debris from the old parking garage was recycled.

The Skanska-Walsh team was also recognized by ISI for its community engagement efforts. The team established the Connect Committee in 2017, which has initiated dozens of community engagement programs. The Connect Committee has organized cultural events, established partnerships with shelters and pantries, and created an eight-week academic program for local students to learn 3D virtual design.

About Walsh Construction

Walsh Construction is a part of The Walsh Group, a 122-year-old family-owned company providing design, build, finance, operation and activation services throughout the building, transportation and water markets. The Walsh Group operates as Walsh Construction, Archer Western and Walsh Canada across 20 regional offices and is consistently listed among the top U.S. contractors per Engineering News-Record (ENR). The Walsh Group is currently ranked as the sixth largest airport builder in the U.S., according to ENR. In addition to work at LaGuardia Airport, the firm has built a portfolio of experience at major U.S. airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Sea-Tac International Airport and Sacramento International Airport. Connect with The Walsh Group at www.walshgroup.com; LinkedIn; Twitter; Facebook; and Instagram.