April 8, 2004

Airport renovation: A new vision takes flight in San Jose

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

The Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is poised for an extreme makeover. The Airport Improvement Program as well as the public art and architectural design plans were unveiled at a recent community meeting at the Vineland Branch Library.

“It’s time that we have a new terminal, and I’m really excited about it,” says Ben Miyaji, chair of the San Jose Arts Commission. “It will give San Jose an identity, and gives us an opportunity to put San Jose on the map.”

Jessica Huennekens, a project manager with Gensler Architecture, Design and Planning Worldwide, spoke regarding the airport’s architectural design. “This airport is being designed for 17.6 million passengers projected by the year 2010. We hope to create an exciting airport that functions well in an environment that’s comfortable, and reflects the history and future that San Jose holds,” she said.

“The main goals for the airport are to create a civic icon for the city of San Jose, an airport that feels like a coherent whole, a safe and secure environment, which is streamlined and easy to use, and an entertaining and relaxed experience (with natural light, generous-sized bathrooms large enough for carry-on luggage, children’s play areas, and wireless internet resources),” explains Huennekens. “Our style is about designing through community input—this input has become our design manual.”

“One of the first pieces to this puzzle is building the North Concourse,” she states. Initial construction of the North Concourse is anticipated by this summer, with completion by mid 2007. Both Terminal ‘A’ and Terminal ‘C’ will continue to function during this time. Next, the South Concourse will be constructed, followed by the Central

Terminal. The entire concourse will be functioning by 2012, and will include 40 gates, all with covered jet bridges.

Eventually, ticketing, security and baggage will all function from the Central Terminal. “The Terminal Concourse will be approximately 5,000 lineal feet from the south to the north ends,” notes Huennekens. “The boundaries of the site restrict the shape of the building—it has to be one straight line, and be built in stages, yet function the entire time, so it’s tricky.”

Parking
Also included in the airport’s construction is a double-level roadway for arrivals and departures, a public transportation link, a short-term parking garage, which incorporates the Rental Car Center, and is conveniently located across the street from the terminal, and a long-term parking garage.

“The airport is the major gateway for this region, and needs to reflect its character,” asserts San Jose Public Art Program’s senior project manager, Mary Rubin. “We can create a project that is deeply innovative, and projects all the different stories, histories and innovations which are a part of this valley’s history and future. San Jose used to be about agriculture. Today, it’s associated with high-tech. Tomorrow, it may be bio-tech or nano-tech. We have an opportunity to create a flexible canvas that can reflect who we are at any given time, and the incredible diversity of the community. For example, we could commission artists to explore the bio innovations in this region, and artistically document it in a photographic installation, or we could have an artist work in collaboration with History San Jose, portraying a journey through the Almaden Mines.

“Traditionally, if you wanted to commemorate agriculture,” said Rubin, “you would create a large mural. But imagine walking down the concourse and experiencing an orchard blossoming in the spring, and changing through the seasons. New media is about taking the diversity of our culture, including our history, and our hopes and dreams, and translating it artistically. San Jose is about innovation, change and diversity and this allows us to create a platform that reflects that.”

San Jose will host Electronics Arts Symposium in 2006
San Jose has been selected to host the prestigious International Symposium on Electronic Art in August 2006. The symposium will focus on projects that bridge the boundaries between the arts, education, technology and business, and includes public exhibitions, live performances and concerts. Rubin views this art festival as a rare opportunity. “The airport could be a venue to display some of this art, creating a link between the community and the city,” she says. “When the new media festival is established, the airport public art program may become a commissioning agent, supporting this economic tool.” Rubin compares the tourism potential of the symposium to the Venice Biennale, in Venice, Italy, which attracts millions of people, and to Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria, which attracts over 90,000 visitors, bolstering their economies. “You wonder, ‘Why Linz?’ but you can see why San Jose,” she adds.

“The design for the airport will make a great statement about the city so people will know they’ve arrived in Silicon Valley,” comments Marina Renneke, San Jose International Airport community liaison. “This is a project that the city and the airport have needed for a long time. The new facility will help the traveler feel a lot safer. We’re going to be utilizing the most recent new technology in the building, and one of the purposes of the North Concourse is to house a large baggage screening facility.”

According to Renneke, the projected total cost of the Airport Improvement Program is $2.9 billion, which includes the $1.3 billion cost of the North, South, and Central Terminal Buildings, as well as the $1.6 billion cost for the roadways and parking garages. The art budget is approximately $3.8 million for the North Concourse, and $10 million overall. A city of San Jose ordinance mandates that 2 percent of any eligible capital improvement project be set aside for public art. This budget was a concern to several residents who attended the recent community meeting. One community member was concerned that the cost of the Airport Improvement Program might result in increased landing fees and ticket costs, which would make it less competitive with other Bay Area airports.

Another stated that he didn’t want to be surprised by hidden costs. “The City Council has oversight to the money spent, and there will be full public disclosure,” assured Joshua Howard, legislative assistant to the Vice Mayor.

Pat Dando sees airport as important to local economy
Vice Mayor Pat Dando sees the airport as a vital part of the community, and the local economy. “The economic impact of our airport is remarkable,” she states. “It contributes over $4 billion in direct business spending to the local economy, directly and indirectly supports over 70,000 jobs, and serves over 4,200 businesses. The presence of an airport that transports both passengers and cargo is a factor in the decisions of many businesses to locate or remain in the region. In addition to the economic links, our airport is critical for the recreational traveler, too.”
Nancy Pyle wants airport services to be competitive with other local airports

“Our airport can make a positive impression and be an exciting gateway to a destination. It has the potential to attract individuals and businesses, and educate visitors and our own residents about the highlights of our city,” comments City Council candidate Nancy Pyle. “Our airport can also help our local economy if we have competitive ticket prices, landing costs, convenient schedules and seamless public transportation from the airport to hotels and businesses,” she notes. “All of our airport services must be competitive with neighboring airports.”

Pyle also sees the airport’s public art as a potential asset to the local economy. “Airport art plays a role in ‘selling’ our city, but must be properly implemented,” she says. Pyle believes that the Airport Art Project should be cost-effective and maintainable with minimal expense, benefit the local economy, utilize many forms, be informative, and provide a pleasant experience.

“The art in our airport needs to reflect San Jose’s history from its days as the “Valley of Hearts Delight” to the current times as the center of ‘Silicon Valley,’” she asserts. “That history should reflect the airport’s and valley’s pioneers, and the rich diversity of our area.”

Rich De La Rosa says airport needs to work like a “well-oiled machine”
City Council Candidate Rich De La Rosa believes that the airport should be innovative, reflecting this image of San Jose to the rest of the world. “I am excited about the proposed changes to the airport, and what it can bring as an economic engine to San Jose, and as a key to the future of the city,” he says. “One thing that’s extremely unique to our airport, as opposed to others in the Bay Area, is that it’s right next to downtown. “It’s extremely convenient, which makes it more attractive for businesses to locate here, and that’s a big plus that we need to take advantage of.”

De La Rosa maintains that the airport should function like a well-oiled machine. “The airport needs to move people quickly to their terminal, be user-friendly with terminal screens in clear view minimizing confusion, offer moving sidewalks, provide comfortable and ample seating, and large and accessible restrooms, a variety of concessions, enough security stations to minimize long waits, and a state of the art baggage claim,” he notes. De La Rosa is in favor of creating something that’s special, and a signature of San Jose, within certain cost parameters. “We have to be able to balance beauty, the function of the airport, and the costs,” he comments.

“Whatever we do, it’s got to attract business to San Jose effectively to have a return on our investment.”
Upon completion, the Airport Improvement Program will be the largest public works project in San Jose’s history.

“Ongoing community input is critical to ensuring that the airport properly meets the needs of the customer,” says Dando, “and I look forward to holding more [community] meetings to keep our neighbors informed about this project.”

“Public art gives San Jose an opportunity to lead the way, and as with any public art process, we value community input,” adds Miyaji, “It’s everybody’s airport.”

The next community Airport Public Art meeting is April 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the Arts Commission at City Hall.