Abilene Airport Arrives at First-Class Facility Status


BY SARAH VANWEZEL


tle city in Texas, but its airport is now fit for lofty departures and arrivals that set this facility apart.


A 20 First impressions are always important.Abilene Regional


Airport is making a grand entry with a brand-new, 11,500- square-foot white architectural-membrane structure that wel- comes visitors with a modern flair and cool comfort.With the tension structure consisting of a main arch leading into five arch systems that shade the drop-off/pick-up area at the entrance of the airport, city officials are breaking new ground inmodern air- port amenities. “As an airport that has to compete with larger airports with-


in a three-hour drive in three different directions, we have to cre- ate and market value and convenience for our customers,” said Don Green, A.A.E., Director of Aviation for the city. “Adding coverage to the front curbside and for the parking spaces has pro-


APRIL 2009 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


IRPORT OPERATORS ARE increasingly focusing on architectural and aesthetic opportunities as they seek to modernize existing locations and design new ones.Abilene is a lit-


vided two highly visible and appreciated amenities, which we hope will translate into drawingmore passengers.” GaryHaymann, ExecutiveVice President of FabriTec Struc-


tures, elaborated on the design concept, noting, “We analyzed the airport’s parking needs and the layout of both short-term and long-term parking areas. In developing the most efficient solu- tion, we designed full-cantilever-covered parking structures. “In many areas, we integrated walkway canopies into the


parking support columns.We also maintained the same design intent with entry and exit fabric structures,” Haymann said. “We added the fabric structures,” Green said, “primarily to


add convenience and value to our customers, but we also like the visual improvement to the terminal area.” Fabric has been increasingly incorporated into airport


design. The industry is discovering endless design opportunities to create and define their own identities and provide cool comfort for visitors. Fabric-tension structures are light, aerodynamic and express the formof flight unlike any othermaterial such as wood or canvas, Haymann said. When assessing the look of your facility, both the style and the materials that go into the outdoor structure should be


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