Airport expanding for growth; New Concourse A will include food court, motorized walkway

The first wave of terminal expansion at Jacksonville International Airport will include a food court, a fancy menswear shop, motorized walkways and a wider Concourse A.

"We've probably got 150 people out here working," Charlie Hardrick, a construction coordinator, said during a recent tour of the work site. "There's crews over there. There's crews on the roof. There's crews everywhere."

The new concourse is scheduled to open in May as workers begin demolishing the old one. That work is part of a $170 million project also replacing Concourse C by 2009.

"Growth. That's what's driving it: Growth in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida," said Jacksonville Aviation Authority spokesman Michael Stewart.

The additions will provide roughly 17,000 additional square feet in concession and retail space - boosting airport revenues by more than $1.2 million - according to authority projections.

Overall airport capacity will boost from 6 million annual travelers to 8 million, Stewart said - which is critical as the authority reviews a count of 6.3 million people having passed through the airport during the fiscal year that ended in September.

Stewart said the expansion will net the airport two additional gates, but each of the gates will be able to handle everything from regional jets to much beefier aircraft like the Boeing 757.

"It's going to be so much more efficient," he said.

Work began last year, turning the airport into a daily flurry of drilling and concrete pouring.

Robert Molle, the authority's director of planning and development, said design work for a new Concourse B will begin as work concludes on the A and C replacements.

End to end, the new concourses will be 100 feet wide. Overall space will increase by 89 percent, according to the authority.

Hardrick puts that into perspective, saying, "The old concourse would almost fit in the walkway here."

The structures are designed to be built out an additional 200 feet when the time comes for more space. Until then, airport officials have plans to decorate the far ends of the concourses with massive images of travelers created by California artist Gordon Huether.

The piece is called Gotta Go. Authority documents show management has earmarked $200,000 for the artwork.

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AIRPORT TIMELINE

MAY 2008:

Concourse A opens at Jacksonville International Airport, serving flights from Northwest, Delta and AirTran airlines. Demolition of the old Concourse A begins.

Scheduled openings:

- A food court including Starbucks, Freshens, Sbarro and Quiznos

- Budweiser Stadium Club

- Retailers Brooks Brothers, Details, CNBC News and Rain or Shine

NOVEMBER 2008:

Concourse C opens. Demolition of the old Concourse C is expected to finish in May 2009.

Scheduled openings:

- NASCAR Bar

- River City Travel

- Retailers InMotion, CNBC News and New York Times Book Store