Yearlong Construction Project Begins in Center Core This Month
PITTSBURGH, January 24, 2013 – AIRMALL® USA, the leading airport concessions developer in North America and operator of the AIRMALL at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), has launched the first phase of a yearlong construction project that will result in the most significant overhaul of the concessions program since the airport opened in 1992.
Later this month, construction crews will begin work on five new retail units in the Center Core of the AIRMALL between concourses A and B. They will also be preparing other concessions space in the Center Core for future development. In total, the development work to be completed during the first phase of the project encompasses 6,000 square feet of retail space. This initial phase is part of a $10-million upgrade to the entire concessions program at PIT, a plan that was approved by the Allegheny County Airport Authority Board of Directors last summer.
“Pittsburgh International Airport has evolved over the years to become an origination-destination airport. That means every departing and arriving passenger passes through the Center Core of the AIRMALL at PIT, and that’s why we’ve targeted this area for a major upgrade and the introduction of new brands,” said Jay Kruisselbrink, vice president of development for AIRMALL USA. “Beginning this month, passengers will begin seeing the early signs of this exciting transformation.”
Kruisselbrink stressed that the demolition and construction work will be conducted in phases so that it does not have an impact on passenger flow. The AIRMALL will be erecting barricades and signs that provide travelers with clear direction on how to navigate through the construction zone.
“This first phase is expected to be wrapped up this summer,” Kruisselbrink added. “When it’s done, five new shops will be open. When the entire project is complete, it’s going to change the face of the airside terminal, and we believe it will go a long way to enhancing the passenger experience at this airport.”
The overall plan calls for the addition of nine units for a total of 76 shops, restaurants, bars and other retail establishments throughout the airport. The entire project is expected to be completed by year’s end. Once the program is fully operational, AIRMALL expects the enhanced concessions program will grow annual revenue by as much as 10 to 20 percent over current figures.
The agreement to build new concessions also comes with a contract extension for AIRMALL, which will now serve as the concessions developer at the airport through 2029. Pittsburgh-based Shannon Construction Company will serve as the prime contractor for phase one of the project.
For more information on AIRMALL USA, visit www.fraport-usa.com.