Columbus airport officials take steps to land new terminal by 2027

Plans for a new terminal at John Glenn Columbus International Airport are taking flight.

• Piloting the news: Airport officials this week selected a pair of architectural firms, one of them based in Columbus, to design a terminal to be built over the next five years.

Why it matters: Columbus needs the new airport terminal to accommodate the increase in local air traffic in recent years, the pandemic notwithstanding.

State of play: The current terminal dates back to 1958 and the Columbus Regional Airport Authority has eyed a larger, modern replacement for over two decades.

• Officials pushed forward with the plan after a record-breaking 2019 that saw 8.6 million passengers.

What they want: A 900,000-square foot terminal with 35 to 40 gates — up from 34 now — with at least two of them serving international travelers.

• The project will also feature a redesigned roadway network around the airport and a new 5,000-space parking garage.

At the drawing board: Global architectural firm Gensler, which has previously designed airport terminal renovations in Detroit and San Francisco.

• Gensler will partner with Columbus-based Moody Nolan, known for being America's largest Black-owned design firm.

What's next: Construction is expected to start in spring 2024 with the terminal fully open by 2027. The existing terminal would then be demolished.