Flying Higher

Mineta San Jose International awards design-build contract to Hensel Phelps

By Robert Carlsen

A Hensel Phelps Construction Co. design-build joint venture and Clark Construction Group-California were the big winners of last month's bid packages for the Mineta San Jose International Airport's Terminal Area Improvement Program projects.

Hensel Phelps will tackle the main project at the airport, which includes modifications to Terminal A, a complete design of the new Terminal B, construction of Terminal B, construction of a temporary Terminal C, demolition of Terminal C, a new public parking garage, new rental car garage, new roads and bridges, Terminal A inline baggage screening system and building, and furniture, fixtures, equipment and signage for the North Concourse building.

According to the city of San Jose, construction costs are not to exceed $513 million.

Clark is part of a multi-prime project on the North Concourse, which was designed by Gensler and the Steinberg Group. Gilbane Construction is the construction manager on this project, which will be the northern portion of the new Terminal B.

The design-build project was heavily promoted by airport director Bill Sherry, who came on board in May 2005. In November 2005, the city council approved changes to the Terminal Area Improvement Program to correspond to a new $1.5 billion master plan, and a design-build contract was also approved in order to comply with city's Measure D design-build ordinance.

The Hensel Phelps joint venture, which includes Fentress-Bradburn Architects, DMJM Architects and Granite Construction, was initially the runner-up to the contract.

Following negotiations with top-ranked Bechtel Infrastructure, the city said that it could not reach an agreement with Bechtel on several issues regarding the design-build contract. Both the city and Bechtel mutually agreed to terminate negotiations in early August. As a result, and under previous direction provided by the San José City Council, the city moved forward in negotiations with the second highest-ranked firm, Hensel Phelps.

Hensel Phelps has a district office in San Jose and it recently constructed the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library that was a joint project between the city and San José State University. Hensel Phelps is also in the process of constructing the city's Central Service Yard.

The design-build contract is estimated to be worth $320 million in base projects plus optional projects worth an estimated $392 million.

The Terminal A remodeling project calls for the build out of new ticketing facilities north and south of the first-level lobby. On the second level, where ticketing currently exists, will be a new and improved security checkpoint area with additional checkpoint lanes to meet passenger demand. Pre-security concession and a meter-greeter area is also included in the second level.

The northern portion of the new state-of-the-art Terminal B includes the new North Concourse, which Gilbane was working on at press time. The North Concourse will connect to Terminal A. A new ticketing and baggage claim area for Terminal B will replace the northern portion of the old Terminal C and will be located close to public parking and the rental car facilities.

Hensel Phelps will also build a new temporary ticketing and baggage claim facility in Terminal C. The northern section of the airport's oldest facility will be removed to make way for Terminal B. The current baggage claim area will also be removed, making way for a temporary ticketing and baggage claim facility to be built directly in front of the southern portion (south concourse and gates) of Terminal C. This will then allow the roadway in front of Terminal C to be straightened out.

A public parking garage will be built in front of the new Terminal B. And while the national trend has been to place rental car operations off-airport, San Jose airport will place its facilities across from the terminal.

The removal of portions of Terminal C will allow the roadway in front of Terminal B and C to be straightened and widened, eliminating the confusing curves that exist. These improvements also increase curb space for passenger drop-off and pick-up.

Once Terminal B is opened, Hensel Phelps will remove the southern-most portion of Terminal C, along with the temporary ticketing and baggage claim facility, making way for the remaining permanent sections of Terminal B.

The airport's second-phase project includes additional ticketing and baggage claim facilities in Terminal B and a South Concourse, which will bring additional gates to meet the airport's 40-gate capacity.

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