United Airlines’ New Terminal C North at Houston Intercontinental Airport
Houston              
Best Project

Owner: United Airlines
Lead Design Firm: PGAL
General Contractor: Manhattan Construction Co.
Civil Engineer: AECOM
Structural Engineer: Henderson Rogers Structural Engineers; Walter P Moore
MEP Engineer: Jacobs
Construction Managers: Faithful + Gould; JLA Construction Solutions; VRX Inc.

United Airlines’ new Terminal C North was a $260-million program divided into two parts. The first was a $175-million, 264,000-sq-ft terminal that houses 14 gates on two levels. An inverted roof line gives the building a winglet design that resembles the silhouette of an aircraft wing on both sides. The second project was an $85-million ramp, fueling and utilities upgrade that removed and replaced 24 acres of 17.5-in. concrete apron paving around the new concourse. Crews also removed, relocated and replaced the hydrant fueling system.

Communication was difficult because the project team and staff were located across the U.S. and the U.K. The entire team met at least once a week. All sessions were recorded to maintain accountability.

Coordination with the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection and the Houston Airport System (HAS) helped align processes and procedures to create a landside— or non-secure—operation that allowed workers to move freely through the project site. Crews sectioned off the 26-acre project site with a security identification display area fence that was closely supervised by HAS. This streamlined material deliveries and access for an average of 500 workers on site daily, helping to shave about four to six months off the construction schedule.

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