BURBANK, Calif. — The Hollywood Burbank Airport broke ground on a new terminal this month. Known as Elevate BUR, the new 355,000-square-foot space will replace the existing passenger terminal in a new location with more modern conveniences and safety improvements.
“From the friendly staff to the airlines to the convenience, Hollywood Burbank Airport is the gem of this community,” Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority President Felicia Williams said in a statement following Friday’s groundbreaking. Construction is expected to run through 2026.
Relocating the terminal from Thornton at Hollywood Way to Winona at Hollywood Way will make it less crowded and easier to use while also providing additional amenities. Almost 50% larger than the existing terminal, Elevate BUR will include more places to eat and shop, as well as upgraded restrooms, wider walkways and roomier waiting areas, according to airport officials.
It will also include a new ticketing lobby, baggage screening system, baggage claim area and TSA checkpoint while retaining the number of passenger gates at 14.
To comply with Federal Aviation Standards, the design will add more space between the terminal building and the airport runways. The design will also make upgrades to meet modern earthquake and Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
To help meet its sustainability goals, Hollywood Burbank Airport will add a parking structure with electric vehicle charging stations.
The relocated terminal will not be funded with money from state, county or local governments. Instead, it will be paid for through federal airport improvement grants, airport revenue bonds and fees from passengers, airlines and businesses that operate on the premises.
The existing airport terminal will be fully operational while Elevate BUR is being constructed. Once the new space is complete, the old terminal will be demolished so the planes’ taxiways can be extended.