PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Plans for a new $30 million airport terminal were unveiled Thursday in Presque Isle.
Scott Wardwell, director of the Presque Isle International Airport, presented the building design to a small group that included U.S. Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine.
The existing terminal, built in the early 1950s, is out of compliance with current Federal Aviation Administration standards and can’t accommodate the number of passengers using it today, Wardwell said. The new facility will expand services and accessibility, and will be more attractive to visitors.
“I believe that replacing this terminal with a state-of-the-art, beautiful terminal that meets the FAA’s standards will help attract more travelers and tourists to Aroostook County and also more businesses,” Collins said.
Red brick and arches will give the new facility a New England feel, Wardwell said, displaying a 3-D rendering of the design.
The two-story structure will incorporate designs from other buildings in Presque Isle, Bangor and Portland, and is also inspired by the terminal in Plattsburgh, New York, he said. The building will be 25,000 to 30,000 square feet. Square footage data on the existing terminal was not immediately available.
The bag checking and security areas will be expanded and improved, including bathrooms in the secure section and the addition of a fire alarm system compliant with FAA standards, both of which the current building lacks. Other additions will be a new airport ramp and a larger car rental space.
The Presque Isle Air Museum will expand and will be relocated to the new building.
Construction of the terminal is expected to begin in June 2024.
Around 80 percent of the expected $30 million cost will be eligible for funding through the FAA’s Airport Terminal Program as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Maine Department of Transportation will fund 2.5 percent, and the city will also pursue grants.
Depending on state and federal funding the city receives, Presque Isle will have to pay between $1.2 million and $5 million, city officials said earlier this month.
Collins is vice chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, which deals with legislation funding multiple agencies. She is requesting a little more than $20 million in funds to help build the new airport terminal, she said.
Appropriations requests must pass related subcommittees and votes by the House and Senate. By the end of July, more appropriations bills are expected to move through the Senate.
Wardwell conducted a walk-through tour of the terminal, along with Kelli Heu, general manager of United Airlines’ United Ground Express, which serves the airport.
“Seeing [the new airport terminal design] today will help me be an even better advocate for you,” Collins said.