City officials have unveiled an US$85m renovation project for Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, aimed at upgrading the airport’s safety and security infrastructure and reimagining its food, beverage and retail offerings.
Albuquerque mayor Tim Keller said: “The Sunport is the gateway to our city and our state and a renovation of this magnitude to the infrastructure of the building and the area where travellers spend most of their time is long overdue. With this project, we are continuing to drive forward and improve the safety and ease of the traveller experience from the kerb to the gate.”
The renovation project comprises three main components: relocating the TSA screening checkpoint; modernising the Sunport’s fire suppression, HVAC, plumbing, mechanical and electrical infrastructure; and re-imagining the airport’s food, beverage and retail opportunities.
The first phase will focus on relocating the TSA screening checkpoint north towards the escalators, designing for greater efficiency for passengers and TSA agents. The second phase, which will be largely behind the scenes, will involve modernising the airport’s infrastructure will bring these systems up to modern building codes and will also convert lighting throughout the terminal to LED.
“This is a major project that will level-up our Sunport for traveller safety and ease every time they fly,” said CABQ Chief Operations Officer Lawrence Rael. “But most significantly, we are making changes behind the scenes – upgrading safety and building infrastructure to continue our work running a state-of-the-art travel hub for the southwest.”
Meanwhile, the final phase will see the airport’s retail and food and beverage area undergo a revamp with expanded opportunities for both dining and shopping.
“While we are still in the early stages of this project, we’re eager to be working with experts in airport concessions to reimagine our current offerings and explore the possibilities with a new footprint on the third level,” said Richard McCurley, Interim Director of Aviation for the City of Albuquerque. “The iconic culture and sense of place we all love about the Sunport will be top of mind in the design and planning stages, and we will continue our focus on local businesses and brands unique to Albuquerque and New Mexico.”
Originally developed pre-9/11, the Sunport’s current concessions programme has not seen any significant changes or improvements in the last two decades. Moving the TSA checkpoint forward will create a 24% larger post-security footprint, allowing for additional amenities in the area of the terminal where passengers need it most.
Local architecture firm, FBT Architects, has been tasked with conducting surveys and developing initial concepts and designs for the redevelopment. Works are expected to begin in January 2023 and will be funded with revenue generated by the CABQ Department of Aviation and federal funds.
