Story ID: 4NewTowerComing07232012RPM
New NextGen Tower Coming to SFO
By: AIN Staff
Caption: 
Word Count: 216
Acting FAA administrator Michael Huerta and DOT Secretary Ray LaHood broke ground on July 9 for the NextGen ATC tower to be built at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Calif.

The new control tower, expected to open in late 2015, will be located between Terminals 1 and 2, south of the existing facility, will rise 221 feet above the ground and will include 650 square feet of controller work area. The current tower, commissioned in 1984, is 190 feet tall and has a 525 square-foot controller work area.

The project includes a three-story, 44,000 square-foot base building, which will house administrative offices, computer equipment, a backup generator and secure corridors that will allow passengers to transit between terminals without permitting access to the tower. The TRACON will continue to be housed at Mather Field.

The FAA will pay up to $69.5 million toward the project’s cost and SFO will supervise the design and construction work. The airport will pay additional costs associated with integrating the tower into the terminal structure, as well as related terminal improvement expenses. The total project cost is expected to be about $102 million.

The new tower will be constructed using recycled building materials and will feature environmental elements, including reflective roofing, an electric-vehicle charging station and energy efficient mechanical and electrical equipment.