Falls Journal
Laurel Beager
Editor, Int’l
Falls International Airport’s new terminal was celebrated last Tuesday (Oct. 10) with a ribbon-cutting that included Minnesota Lt.-Gov. Tina Smith.
Smith expressed congratulations to the community and relayed the same message from Gov. Mark Dayton.
“The new Falls International Airport terminal will support additional trade and business travel, which is essential to growing our economy and creating good jobs everywhere in Minnesota,” she said.
Others who spoke, or read letters from state and federal officials, discussed the multi-level partnership that included funding from federal, state, and local governments to complete the $10.3-million terminal.
Leading the celebration was Falls Mayor Bob Anderson, who also serves as chairman of the local airport commission.
Pete Makowski, who spoke on behalf of U.S. Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, said he believed former Congressman Jim Oberstar, who died in 2014 and was a great aviation advocate, “was circling above. He loved the Falls International Airport.”
Smith also said she was thinking of former state Rep. David Dill, who died in 2015, and his wife, Tucky, and son, Drake, and the Einarson family, who attended Tuesday’s celebration, adding that they are “synonymous with aviation in the northern part of the state.”
The new 18,000-square-foot terminal opened last week.
The first phase replaces roughly two-thirds of the old terminal. Improvements include expanded secure passenger waiting areas with vending and bathrooms, baggage processing, car rental facilities, TSA passenger screening, airline ticket office counter and back office, secure passenger hold room, and utility upgrades.
As well, it features a jet bridge to allow passengers to board aircraft protected from weather elements.
Phase II, expected to commence in May, 2018, includes demolition of the old terminal building and adding on to the new facility with expanded areas for U.S. Customs and Border Protection passenger screening and processing facility, airport administrative offices, public conference room, TSA office, and an office for the U.S. National Weather Service staff.
The entire project, including building, site design, and landscape, is designed to meet Minnesota’s B3 Sustainable Building 2030 Energy Standards to significantly reduce the energy and carbon footprint.
The airport built its first runways in 1946 and added a terminal building in 1948, paving the way for the introduction of commercial air service in 1953.
A new terminal building was built in 1979, which was dedicated by then U.S. Vice-President Walter Mondale.
Delta, operated by SkyWest Airlines, provides daily service to and from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. led the project, providing overall project management, structural, environmental, and civil engineering, and landscape architecture, as well as assistance in obtaining federal, state and bond funds.
