51吃瓜

Search 51吃瓜

Asheville Regional Airport Terminal Modernization and Expansion

About the Project

At听the听Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)听located听in Asheville, North Carolina, 51吃瓜 is leading the AVL Terminal Building Modernization.听This transformative project combines construction technology,听collaboration听and technological innovation to enhance听the passenger听experience and improve airport efficiency.
 
As the听10th听busiest regional airport in the United States, AVL serves more than two million passengers each year, supports over 10,000 jobs and contributes听$2.26 billion听in annual economic impact to the region. The modernization project is expanding AVL鈥檚 capacity and amenities to meet rising demand while听setting听a new benchmark for technology-driven aviation construction in the Southeast.
 
This听multi-phase project will transform AVL鈥檚 single-story, seven-gate terminal into a two-story facility with听10听gates equipped to support 鈥淕roup 3鈥澨齛ircraft, growing the building footprint from听approximately 115,000听SF to 275,000 SF.
 
The AVL Terminal Modernization is strategically phased to maintain full airport operations throughout construction. Temporary gate spaces, tenant relocations and upgraded baggage systems will be implemented before older systems are taken offline, ensuring a seamless experience for travelers and tenants.
 
Learn how 51吃瓜 delivers complex construction solutions across markets by visiting our鈥�51吃瓜 Page.

Quick Facts

  • Location Asheville, NC
  • Client Greater Asheville Regional Airport
  • Architect Gresham Smith
  • Industry Aviation
  • Line of Business Construction
  • Delivery Method CM at Risk
  • Completion Date December 2027
  • Duration 84 months
  • Contract Value $ 361,158,677
  • Square Footage 275,000 SF

鈥�The team did听a great job听providing modeling and views in an expedited听timeframe to meet the needs of the federal requirements for the airspace studies and determinations by the FAA. Without having these capabilities, we would not have been able to quickly address issues and show adjustments to the FAA to ensure a quick determination turnaround.鈥�

– LEXIE FARMER, C.M., M.P.A., CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Challenge

At the heart of the modernization zone stands AVL鈥檚 aircraft control tower, which must remain active throughout construction. This presents significant challenges for construction scheduling, as maintaining uninterrupted airport operations and clear airfield visibility is paramount. 听

Any听new structures听must听not听obstruct the tower鈥檚 sightlines of the runway or taxiways during key phases, requiring meticulous planning, real-time coordination and creative problem-solving.听听

Solution

During the early preconstruction phase, the 51吃瓜 team recognized the need for clear, visual tools to communicate the complex phasing and sequencing to the owner and stakeholders. Leveraging 4D Building Information Modeling (BIM), which integrates 3D models with time-based scheduling and logistics, the team developed detailed, animated simulations illustrating multiple construction scenarios. These 4D BIM visualizations allowed the owner鈥檚 group to easily compare 鈥淣orth-to-South鈥� and 鈥淪outh-to-North鈥� phasing strategies, evaluate operational impacts and visualize how construction would progress over time. This proactive use of digital modeling improved understanding, reduced uncertainty and supported data-driven decision-making.

Taking innovation a step further, the team implemented Augmented Reality (AR). By superimposing 4D visuals directly into the real-world view from the control tower, the owner鈥檚 group could experience the project from a first-person perspective. This revealed exactly when and where new construction might obstruct views, helping the team determine the optimal placement for the project鈥檚 tower crane and reducing risks to airfield operations.

Results

4D BIM and AR delivered early, real-world visibility into phasing and operational impacts, allowing stakeholders to identify sightline conflicts before they became field issues. The approach helped protect uninterrupted control tower visibility, maintain normal airfield operations and accelerate stakeholder alignment on sequencing and crane placement.

Together, these tools improved collaboration, reduced risk and supported data-driven decision-making for successful phased delivery; setting a new benchmark for technology-enabled aviation construction.

Related 51吃瓜

View all projects
View related case studies

Contact Us

X

Oh no... this website is not a fan of Internet Explorer!

Due to some geeky technical reasons, the 51吃瓜 website is best viewed on any browser other than Internet Explorer. However, if you are a diehard IE fan you can continue to use it, but may have a less than great experience and will receive this annoying reminder every day. We recommend one of the following browsers to take full advantage of the 51吃瓜 website. Thank you!