Fort Wayne International Airport and Clayco Break Ground on East Terminal Expansion and Renovation Project
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA), along with Clayco, has broken ground on Project Gateway’s $70 million, 35,000 square foot East Terminal Expansion and Renovation project.
Scott Hinderman, Executive Director of Airports, Mac Glinn, Clayco Senior Vice President and Aviation Business Unit Leader, Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, Allen County Commissioner Nelson Peters, John Urbahns, President of Greater Fort Wayne Inc., and Sue Mowery-Schalk, Director of Airports Division for the Great Lakes Region FAA all spoke at the event.
“We are proud of the work accomplished with the West Terminal Expansion and Rehabilitation project, and the beginning of the new FWA passengers are able to enjoy,” said Scott Hinderman, Executive Director of Airports. “We are excited to continue the progress with the beginning of the East Terminal Expansion and Renovation project with Clayco. As we continue to move toward completion over the coming years—we are ensuring that we will offer a spectacular gateway to our region and the best possible experience for travelers.”
The East Terminal Expansion and Renovation project will continue to bring the Fort Wayne International Airport terminal building into the modern era – continuing the work started with the West Terminal Expansion and Rehabilitation project, which wrapped construction at the end of May. The East and West Terminal Expansion projects aim to transform FWA into a modernized facility capable of handling the momentum and growth that the Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana communities have experienced over recent years.
Clayco, a full-service, turnkey real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm, was awarded the East Terminal Expansion project in December 2022. Mead & Hunt will continue to serve as the design and architecture firm on the project, as they did for the West Terminal Expansion and Rehabilitation project.
“This is a significant milestone kicking off this challenging and exciting project,” said Mac Glinn, Clayco Senior Vice President and Aviation Business Unit Leader. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority and the team at Mead and Hunt, and our team is laser focused on completing this project safely, on time and in a cost-efficient fashion.”
In addition to the renovation and expansion, the project also includes relocating all airline gates and passenger boarding bridges to the second level, expansion of the TSA security checkpoint area; relocating the airport restaurant and creating a new frequent flyer lounge. Work will also include new and improved public areas including additional restrooms, new meeter and greeter space, expanded circulation areas and vertical transportation. Work will also be done to update the existing baggage claim and rental car areas. The East Terminal Expansion project will also see a continuation of FWA’s commitment to accessibility with the extension of the airport’s new cane trail, adding additional accessible counter spaces, and more.
The Clayco team will demolish existing interior and structural components to expand the building outward and vertically over the first floor, in addition to expanding the footprint of the building to include a new East Concourse. Structural work will include selective demolition to add additional space to the second floor and elevated clerestory roofs to the main terminal.
In collaboration with design and subcontractor partners, the project is expected to be completed in June of 2025. Project information and updates can be found at fwairport.com.
The East Terminal Expansion and Renovation project is a part of Project Gateway, which has included the West Terminal Expansion and Rehabilitation project, Parking Lot Rehabilitation Project, Rental Car Return Lot Canopy Expansion and Renewable Solar Energy Project, and the East and West Terminal Apron Improvement Project.
About Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority (FWACAA) was created in 1985 and is responsible for managing the Fort Wayne International Airport and Smith Field Airport. The airport authority is governed by a six-member board appointed by the Mayor of Fort Wayne and the Allen County Commissioners. Serving northeast Indiana and the surrounding region, FWA offers nonstop service to 14 cities on four airlines. In 2019, FWA served 791,810 passengers –the tenth year of consecutive growth. As a result of FWACAA’s commitment to customer service, Fort Wayne International Airport was recognized by USA Today as one of the friendliest airports in the nation. For more information about the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority, visit www.FWAirport.com.
About Clayco
Clayco is a full-service construction firm whose services provided include turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, and engineering, safely delivering clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $4.98 billion in revenue for 2021, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast track, efficient solutions for aviation, industrial, commercial, institutional and residential related building projects. For more information visit www.claycorp.com