A New Chapter in Aviation Takes Flight at Hollywood Burbank Airport
Burbank, CA. — The first flight has departed from the new Hollywood Burbank Airport passenger terminal, marking a major milestone in the delivery of a complex, interconnected project for Southern California.
This week, Hollywood Burbank Airport welcomed its first departing flight from the new terminal, opening a new chapter for an important regional transportation hub.
For Pankow, this milestone reflects years of collaboration, coordination, and dedication to bringing a complex project together in time for opening day. Delivered on time and on budget, Elevate BUR demonstrates the coordination required to align design and construction across an extensive airport development.
A Modern Gateway for Southern California
Known as Elevate BUR, the project replaces the airport's existing terminal, which dates back to the early 1930s, with a modern, 355,000-square-foot passenger terminal featuring 14 gates.
The project also includes a new parking deck with more than 2,000 spaces, comprising one subterranean level and six levels above grade, along with supporting roadways, airfield paving, and stormwater infrastructure.
Designed to enhance the passenger experience while prioritizing safety, the new terminal is located farther from the runways and incorporates current earthquake design standards. Together, the terminal and supporting infrastructure represent a significant investment in the future of air travel for the region.
Bringing Design and Construction Together
Delivering a project of this scale in an active airport environment requires more than completing individual buildings. The terminal, parking structure, access and circulation systems, and supporting infrastructure must function as part of a larger, interconnected whole. Design decisions, construction sequencing, logistics, and coordination across disciplines all play a role in bringing that vision to reality.
Through a progressive design-build approach, the team brought design and construction expertise together throughout the process. This integrated collaboration supported coordinated decision-making, management of complex interfaces, and alignment across the many components needed to bring the project to opening day.
The result was a successful opening delivered on time and on budget, reflecting the precision, commitment, and teamwork required across the project.
An Established Project Partnership
Pankow contributed to Elevate BUR as part of the Holder-Pankow-TEC joint venture, working alongside Holder Construction and TEC, with design partners Corgan in association with CannonDesign, and Burns & McDonnell. The broader team brought together complementary expertise across design, preconstruction, construction, and the many specialized scopes required for the project.
Delivering an airport development of this scale depends on the ability to coordinate across disciplines, anticipate how individual decisions affect the larger project, and work collaboratively toward shared objectives. The team's partnership and dedication were central to bringing the terminal and its supporting infrastructure together for opening day.
Pankow is proud to have worked alongside its project partners and trade partners to deliver this important facility for the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority and the Southern California community.
Looking Ahead
With the first flight now departed, the new terminal marks more than a major project milestone. It marks the beginning of countless journeys, reunions, and new opportunities for the travelers and communities it will serve.
Congratulations and thank you to everyone who helped bring Elevate BUR to life!
About Pankow Builders
Pankow Builders is pleased to celebrate 60 years as an industry leader. Pankow has benefited clients through creative problem-solving, engineering expertise, and construction innovation. Pioneers of Design-Build and Integrated Project Delivery, we provide Design-Build, Design-Assist, general contracting, and tenant improvement services and specialize in complex projects and work in occupied facilities. We apply new construction tools, processes, and technologies, such as BIM Planning and Execution, and Virtual Design and Construction, Lean Delivery, and Alternative Energy Solutions – delivering a complete range of high-quality construction services to clients in the office, aviation, retail, hospitality, residential, healthcare, education, tenant improvement, and mixed-use market sectors. Founded in 1963, Pankow has 60 years of continuous presence in California in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose.
