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Memphis, TN
Here we note legends-in-their-own-time and landmarks as they transition into history
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Memphis International Airport terminal visibility
opened 1963 - to be obscured about 2011
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 The
terminal at Memphis International Airport is not going to be removed,
its just going to be obscured from the front by a multi-story parking
garage to be completed by 2012. "The new design's unveiling in January
created something of a stir in the architecture and preservation
communities. However, critics figured they were too late to do anything
about it, because the Flintco contract had already been awarded,
architect Keith Kays said." (The Commercial Appeal,
March 3, 2010) Beautiful in the daytime but especially remarkable at
night, the view of the main terminal and its two additions will be
blocked by a 7 level parking garage to be built just north of the
exiting 3 level parking facility in front of the terminal building. In
the same article cited above, Keith Kays says the new parking garage
will "obliterate the view of the terminal building itself." Those traveling the airport's confusing roadways to the passenger drop off and pick up areas will still see the terminal, but may be too close by the time it becomes visible to appreciate its special architecture. The terminal will remain visible from locations to the east, south, and west, but at quite a distance that also will be unlikely to give an appreciation to its style. As mentioned, the lighting of the martin glass structure at night is something special. During the Christmas season, lights have been colored an alternating red and green on the columns to give a fun recognition of the holiday season. The current airport terminal south of Winchester Road opened in 1963, replacing one which had served since 1938 and was located north of Winchester. The center section of the current terminal was the original building, the west wing was added later, then the east wing, but all maintaining the martini glass architecture. The notable design was created by architect Roy Harrover. The new "parking and ground transportation facility" will cost $89.4 million and take two years to build. Construction began the first week of March, 2010. Airport Authority executives say it will add 4,500 parking spaces and house rental car facilities, which are now located 3 road miles away from the terminal. This is just one of the notable changes at the Memphis airport. The original Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers were located in a "cab," the glass enclosed room from which they view aircraft traffic, on top of the 1938 terminal north of Winchester. In conjunction with the expansion of the airport to the south of Winchester Road, a new combination tower and office building was opened about 1962, still north of winchester but south of the "old terminal." In 1977, a taller, dedicated air traffic control tower was built south of Winchester Road. The 185 foot structure was needed to give controllers a better view of the expanding airport's runways and taxiways. The new tower, about 125 southwest of the 1977 structure, is being built for the same reason but it stands 336 feet and is among the tallest air traffic control towers in the nation. The new tower will go into service in early 2011. The old tower will be demolished. The cost of the new tower and tearing down the old one: $72-million. The 1962 office building and tower has been removed, apparently in 1993 because it obstructed the view from the 1977 control tower of a then forthcoming taxiway. It should also be noted that two of the runways north of Winchester have been closed, probably in the 1990s. Runways 3-21 and runway 14-32 formed an X on the north side of Winchester. The only runway remaining substantially on the original airport property north of Winchester Road is 9-27, although the original north south runway, now designated 18C-36C, does extend somewhat north of Winchester Road. |