After a three-year construction project San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has opened a new state-of-the-art terminal to handle increased domestic traffic. Terminal 2 is not new construction; rather, it is an old terminal that was previously closed in 2000 when SFO opened a new international terminal. The airport decided to resurrect the former terminal in 2008 in response to increased traffic. American Airlines and Virgin America will call the new terminal home.
The San Francisco Bay area stands to benefit, with the addition of nearly 3,000 new jobs between airline expansion and terminal tenants. Tenant construction is expected to bring an additional $15 million to the airport while the increased traffic should benefit both business and tourism.
Terminal 2 concessions provide a innovative verity of dining an shopping options that are far superior to other airports thought the world including:
- 29,909 square feet of retail development including 12 eating establishments and a retail street to include a gourmet market, wine bar, bookstore, spa, museum store, art exhibits and specialty retail stores
- A “club room” feel to the food court and passenger waiting area with blended spaces and a variety of seating options and children’s play areas. Whether they are dining, shopping or enjoying an exhibit, passengers will be able to keep an eye on their gates from these areas.
- A fresh, sophisticated San Francisco focus in all retail
- A sustainable food focus in all restaurants.
Among the most talked about features of the new Terminal 2 are 14 gates capable of handling anything from the narrowest passenger jets to large Boeing 747s. The terminal’s 640,000 ft² of floor space can handle up to 5.5 million passengers annually, while more than 30,000 ft.² of retail space now includes restaurants, a wine bar, nine retail outlets, and even a spa. Art is being supplied in partnership with the San Francisco Arts Commission.
Finally, terminal designers have sought to encourage sustainability and “green thinking” among passengers with several features including a new footbridge connecting Terminal 2 with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, a paperless ticketing system, and preferred parking for hybrid electric cars.
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