At Airside E, construction crews have begun erecting the steel framework for the addition, using a crane to lift beams and columns into place after months of underlying foundation preparation to the area adjacent to existing checkpoint space. The same steel work is beginning at Airside A this week.
The structural steel will tie into the existing Airside buildings, both of which were designed and built prior to the creation of the TSA after 9/11. Airside A opened in 1995 and Airside E in 2002.
The additions will provide room for much more spacious and naturally lit TSA checkpoint space, addressing modern screening needs and ever-growing passenger traffic at TPA.
The airport has modified shuttle operation frequency to manage passenger volumes at the checkpoint during construction. The end result will improve the passenger experience both entering and exiting each Airside, TPA said.
Airside A will gain 20,560 sq ft and will accommodate seven security screening lanes at the checkpoint, and nearly four times the pre-security queueing space.
Airside E will add 19,542 sq ft, also with seven lanes and much more space for screening equipment and queueing passengers.
The steel structures will be erected for several weeks before the floors, walls and underlying utilities for the spaces are added later.
The project has a construction cost of $65.1m and is being funded almost entirely with bonds and $525,000 in FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) grants. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved funding at its August 2023 meeting.
Boston-based design-build firm Suffolk Construction, in partnership with consulting firm AECOM, is working on both buildings, which are scheduled to be completed in summer 2025.
