Larger, Modern Terminal Planned for Bob Hope Airport

Oct. 15, 2013
The future of Bob Hope Airport may include a new two-story terminal 68 percent bigger than the current 80-year-old facility

Oct. 15--The future of Bob Hope Airport may include a new two-story terminal 68 percent bigger than the current 80-year-old facility.

Preliminary plans say the new terminal will be 335,000 square feet but have the same 14 gates, which designers say will provide ample space for passengers and amenities. The existing 211,000-square-foot terminal will be demolished after the new facility is completed, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority said in a statement.

The new facility will be east of the airport's north and south runways, noted spokesman Victor Gill. The configuration was decided on after a 2012 survey of area residents and some workshops and community meetings this past summer. Airlines serving the airport were also consulted.

The current terminal isn't up to current earthquake standards, nor does it meet Federal Aviation Administration standards regarding distance from runways. In some places, the building is 250 feet from the runway's center line, while the FAA requirement is 750 feet.

Construction of the facility is still years away, and the project must be approved by Burbank voters in a 2015 election. "This is only a site concept plan. It is not a designed terminal yet," Gill said.

The airport upgrade could include short- and long-term parking and valet service adjacent to the terminal. "The proposed ... replacement terminal would be safe and modern, with the same conveniences and easy access that air travelers now enjoy, provide additional amenities desired by the public and that are typically available in a modern airport," the authority said in a statement.

There will be additional restrooms, wider gate-access corridors, larger waiting areas and upgraded baggage claim, restaurants and concessions.

Passenger functions will be on the ground level with centralized ticketing and security functions. Administrative offices will be on the second floor.

The preliminary design includes primary access off Hollywood Way, with secondary access via San Fernando Boulevard, officials said. Three vehicle lanes will run alongside the terminal.

The plan proposed by the authority and its consultants is scheduled to go before the Burbank City Council on Oct. 29. The agencies will hold a joint hearing on the project on Nov. 14.

An environmental impact report will also be done over the course of the next year, Gill said.

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