—
Looking to dramatically expand international air traffic, the City of Houston at Bush Intercontinental Airport recently awarded a $146 million contract to Clark/Mission, a joint venture between Clark Construction Group, LLC of Tampa and Mission Constructors, Inc. of Houston, to build a Federal Inspection Services (FIS) Building and an Automated People Mover (APM) station and platform. This new facility will centralize U.S. Customs Services for international flight arrivals for Terminal D and Terminal E. Terminal E is currently under construction by Continental Airlines.
Designed by Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville of Houston and Alexandria, Va., the 750,000-gross-square foot FIS Building features a steel structure with glazed curtain wall and metal panel facade. Architectural curved trusses form portions of the high roof, which are covered with metal roofing panels. The low roof sections consist of steel joists clad by membrane roofing. A curved central decorative spine roof spans the inspections hall.
Divided into three main levels, the basement will feature an international baggage handling area, which will be accessed by two tug ramps on the east side that connect to an existing Aircraft Operating Area service road. The first level includes a baggage claim hall with baggage claim devices, a baggage re-check hall and lobby. An Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) primary inspection hall, lounge, pedestrian bridges connecting to the terminals and the new Continental Airlines international ticket lobby will be located on level two.
The FIS Building will connect to a new parking garage being constructed at the west end via two elevator towers, which will be constructed of steel framing surrounded with metal panels. The FIS Building also includes is a two-level post-tension concrete parking structure at the east end.
For the FIS Building, the project team also includes Walter P. Moore Engineers, structural engineer; Burns DeLatte & McCoy, Inc., mechanical engineer; and Hunt & Hunt Engineering, electrical engineer - all of Houston. BNP Associates of Danbury, Conn. is serving as the baggage handling consultant. The APM team includes Lea + Elliott Inc., transportation consultant; Rey De La Reza Architects, Inc., architect; Charles F. Terry, Inc. and Huitt-Zollars, Inc., structural engineers; and Shah Smith & Associates, Inc., MEP engineer - all of Houston. The PB Team is serving as the construction manager for the entire project. Estimated completion is the third quarter of 2004.
###