Boise Airport is seeing more passengers than ever. The recourse? A new concourse
Over the last decade, the number of passengers flying to or through the Boise Airport has risen more than 80%, reaching almost 5 million passengers in 2023, according to an airport news release.
Now, the airport is making moves to expand. On Tuesday, it announced its selection of an architecture firm to help design a new concourse, after City Council approved a five-year contract with the firm, Fentress Architects, for no more than $42.5 million, according to the release.
Local firms ZGA Architects, Cator Ruma and The Land Group will contribute to the project’s architectural design, permitting and planning components, including mechanical, electrical and structural planning.
In 2019, Airport Director Rebecca Hupp shared plans for the new concourse with City Council. It would jut out from the right side of the airport as passengers walked into the main terminal, and would be designed to accommodate airlines’ increasingly large planes. The new concourse would also have larger departure lounge areas than the existing Concourse B, and would include retail and food options, she said at the time.
The Boise Airport funds projects like these through routine fees, including surcharges on tickets and rental cars, the Statesman previously reported, so it will not use local taxpayer dollars for this project.
Fentress Architects has helped redesign and expand airport terminals in Nashville, Portland and Charleston.
The firm brings “a focus on establishing a strong sense of place that reflects its region and designing with sustainability in mind,” according to the release.
The design of the new concourse is part of a “comprehensive” airport upgrade program, which has already expanded the airport’s security checkpoint and built new parking garages, according to the release.
This story was originally published June 19, 2024 at 10:50 AM.
