KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When it comes to designing and developing the proposed single terminal airport, Edgemoor has the upper hand.
The team was selected by Kansas City’s City Council in September to design and build the single terminal should voters approve the project November 7.
Extended coverage:
Timeline: How we got to the KCI vote
KCMO Mayor: KC deserves first-class airport
41 Action News Anchor Rhiannon Ally sat down with Edgemoor’s Managing Director Geoffrey Stricker to get an inside scoop on the design plans for the new airport and how it sets the stage to bring Kansas City in line with airports around the country without losing convenience.
Q: So first of all, many of us have seen these renderings of the proposal of what the new KCI would look like. Let's talk about the inspiration for the design. Where did you find inspiration? Did it come from some other airports in our country or other places?
A: "So the inspiration for us was really to want to make an airport that Kansas Citians would be proud of and that they recognize when they come to this airport that it reflects Kansas City and it's core values. A couple of things that we put into the renderings, first to recognize the topography of this part of Missouri we have the rolling hills sort of in the roofline as you've seen, when you come inside of the facility, the connector that goes from the front of the terminal to the back of the terminal is sort of a Grand Boulevard. We put the two-story fountain right in beginning as soon as you walk in recognize Kansas City as the city of fountains. The other piece that was really important to us was to recognize Kansas City known as the smartest city in the country based on its smart port initiative, so we're trying to make the airport the smartest airport in the county.”
Q: One of the biggest concerns people have is the convenience aspect. People love that you can get in and out of the current KCI. What are some things you implemented into the design that can keep the convenience so that people don't have to worry that they're going to spend hours and hours getting in and out?
A: "Kansas City is the only airport in the country that has arrivals and departures on the same level, so you have all of that traffic mixed together. In our proposal we have the departure and arrivals separated on two different levels, so instantly you have 50 percent of the traffic on one level, 50 percent of the traffic on the other level, so that should be more convenient. We have a parking garage right across the street, just like exists today, but with 50 percent more parking spaces that exist. So if you're traveling whether on vacation or for work, it should be very easy to find a parking spot. We've added in moving walkways so if they don't feel like walking they can just sit and relax and take a moving walkway to make convenience. We have a single consolidated security line, rather than the multiple security lines that exist today.”
Q: I have to interrupt, this is where people think they're going to run into it not being as convenient because I think some people think they like having the separate security lines. But you would argue that it's more convenient to have just the one?
A: "Studies show that when you have one single line with the snaking back and forth, you actually move through faster than in multiple, different lines, So we think it'll actually be more convenient and faster for a passenger.”
Q: So I read the timeline for this, if it passes, November of 2021, is that correct? Do you think that's really feasible?
A: Our schedule currently has, assuming the referendum passes next week, working on design throughout the spring, environmental work, we would get to what they call financial close, meaning we finish negotiating the contracts, we put the financing in place by next summer, we'd start construction in the summer and early fall and we'd be done by November of 2021."
Q: Okay so construction in a year and then November 2021. So all of this, if it doesn't pass, is that just it with your connection to Kansas City?
A: "We've been connected with Kansas City now for several years because we have a project going on at the University of Kansas, so we've been in this market. It's been a wonderful market in the two months that we've been here actively talking about the airport, been thrilled with how Kansas Citians have embraced us and talked to us and made us feel as part of the community so we look forward to staying a part of the community."
Watch the video above for more of Rhiannon Ally's interview with Geoffrey Sticker.
