Firm selected for $150 million airport makeover

A Dallas construction business and its local partner was awarded a $150 million contract today to oversee the expansion and renovation of Charleston International Airport’s aging passenger terminal.

The Charleston County Aviation Authority voted unanimously to hire Austin Commercial LP of Dallas and its local partner, Hitt Contracting Inc. of North Charleston.

Plans for the three-year airport makeover have changed considerably from 2011.

The latest proposal shows five new gates on Concourse B and one on Concourse A for a total of 16.

A new, third baggage carousel would go inside the existing structure.

Perhaps the biggest change will be the way travelers are routed through the airport. An new screening area is proposed to be built behind the airline check-in stations, where boarding passengers would pass through to get to the two concourses.

The existing central lobby area would be divided by a glass wall, separating greeters from the secure zone on the airfield side of the building, which is where almost all of the restaurants and vendors will go.

The existing mezzanine holding administrative offices would be dismantled, and a huge floor-to-ceiling glass wall will be built so people can see straight through the building from front to back onto the airfield.

Fentress Architects of Denver was hired to redesign the 27-year-old terminal. The firm is expected to return in April with modifications to its plans.

Work is expected to begin later this year.

The losing bidder was Holder Construction Co. of Atlanta, which was working with local partners Mashburn Construction Co. of Mount Pleasant and Cumming-SMG of North Charleston.

Read more in tomorrow’s editions of The Post and Courier.

Reach Warren L. Wise at 937-5524 or twitter.com/warrenlancewise.