BARNSTABLE, MA, July 23, 2010 – Suffolk Construction Company and officials of Barnstable Municipal Airport recently broke ground on a new Air Traffic Control Tower at the Hyannis airport. The five-story, 4,073 square foot air traffic tower will replace the existing tower and is phase one of the 2010 Airport Improvement Program. Suffolk will also build a new 35,000 square-foot passenger terminal, pending final state approval. Once the new tower and terminal are completed, the existing structures will be demolished.

The airport, which is the third busiest in the state, will remain operational throughout construction. This will require a comprehensive safety planning and construction schedule that will minimize impact on airport operations. Suffolk has considerable experience managing construction and renovations projects on tightly configured construction sites at working facilities. Suffolk was selected by the Barnstable Municipal Airport Commission (BMAC) to provide preconstruction and construction management services for the project.

First LEED-certified municipal facility

The new tower will include Energy Star-rated heating, ventilation and air conditioning and an energy-efficient elevator. The design elements are expected to earn LEED-Silver certification. It will be the Town of Barnstable’s first LEED-certified municipal structure. The $6.7 million tower is expected to be in service in 2011, and construction is scheduled to start immediately.

The $17.6 million new terminal will replace the existing 50-year-old facility, following final state approval of a $13.1 million capital grant. The balance of the cost will be paid from airport reserves. Construction of the terminal is expected to begin after Labor Day. The final piece of the improvement program is the new $3.8 million vehicle access road, which will relieve traffic congestion at the airport rotary.

Barnstable Municipal Airport accommodates 108,000 flights per year, carrying 276,000 passengers. It is open year round and is a major air hub for Cape Cod and the Islands. It was founded in 1928. During World War II, both the Navy and the Army Air Forces flew antisubmarine patrols from the airport. It is serviced by scheduled commercial flights, as well as charters and general aviation.

Founded in 1982, Suffolk Construction Company, Inc., is one of the leading privately held construction management firms in the country, with main offices in the northeast, mid-Atlantic, southeast and west coast regions of the country. Suffolk provides preconstruction, construction management, design/build and general contracting services, and has a strong reputation for delivering challenging building construction projects in the healthcare, education, science/technology, government and commercial sectors.