A major project in Kansas City will not only benefit airline travelers, but has created good paying jobs for members of the Insulators Union.
Work is ongoing at the Kansas City International Airport (MCI), located 15 miles northwest of downtown Kansas City, Mo. Crews are busy constructing a new $1.5 billion airport terminal.
The project, the largest single infrastructure project in Kansas City history, will take the airport from a three terminal layout to a single terminal. Built in the 1950s following a devastating area-wide flood, the airport footprint has not significantly changed in the last 70 years.
Now, roughly 850 highly skilled and highly trained construction workers are in the midst of building this massive project, which was funded through existing revenue sources. With no tax increase needed, voters overwhelming approved the bond issue to finance the project.
Ground broke in early 2018 and construction on the terminal began on March 25, 2019. The new terminal is expected to open in March 2023.
The new structure is being built at the site of the existing Terminal A, which was closed for a number of years due to consolidation and mergers of several U.S. airlines. Terminals B and C are operational during the construction and will be demolished upon transfer of operations to the new integrated terminal.
The new 1 million-square-foot terminal will feature 39 gates and can be expanded to accommodate up to 42 gates in the future. It will include two concourses and 18 security lanes, along with dozens of retail and restaurant spaces. A seven-story parking facility will be built adjacent to the new terminal.
In true Kansas City fashion, a two-storied fountain will be constructed in the center of the terminal to project messages and colors on the cascading water. When word of the massive project got out, Insulators Local 27, along with the Kansas City Building Trades, immediately became involved.
“We worked with city leaders helping to inform the public of the benefits,” said Local 27 Business Manager Scott VanBebber. “The largest benefit for the building trades for this project includes working with preapprenticeship programs to aid those seeking construction jobs to ultimately grow the Kansas City workforce.”
According to a blog posted on the project’s website, buildkci.com, the project was on time and on budget, as of mid-July.
“When it is complete, visitors to our city will be welcomed by a much more modern facility that will highlight Kansas City,” VanBebber said. Members of Local 27 working for Pro Insulation started on the project last fall and will be on the job through the spring of 2023.
The Insulators will cover almost 60,000 linear feet of plumbing pipe and more than 68,000 feet of hydronic piping. Our members will use 1,800 rolls of duct wrap, which equates to approximately 538,000 square feet of duct to wrap.
Thank you to the Pro Insulation crew who are working on the airport project. The pictured group of members includes (left to right): TJ Snodgrass,Aaron Dayton, Jason Roper, Nolan Bauer, Larry Neal, Garrett Hartsell, Edy Benitez, Cody Kankey, Ronnie Tavis, Jr., Ed Hernandez, Jr., Wes Phillippe, Andrew Paine, Wes Porter, Danny Zapien, Cody Zeigler, Mike Keryger, Chris Herrera, Tiffany Pearson, Steve Herrera, Jr., Carter Wayne, Jacob Wiley, Nicholas VanBebber, Raul Hernandez, Danielle DoneysonNorman and Chase Huggard.