Grand Rapids Airport (GRR) News and Developments

[RiversideGR]

On 4/9/2024 at 10:22 AM, joeDowntown said:

They opened a Freddy's at the airport. A delicious new option.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2024/04/freddys-frozen-custard-steakburger-opens-location-in-grand-rapids-airport.html

Joe

I think it is great that we are getting more options and I'm sure people (especially families) will utilize it. It took me a while to realize that I don't enjoy eating heavy foods before a flight...I don't feel great after and the passengers in the seats next to me also won't appreciate it. I love Freddy's but it's something I eat in the privacy of my own home when nobody is there to see me cramming fries into my mouth between bites of my burger.  I had a good salad at the Aletitude spot in the new terminal recently. 

It is hard to say how far out that new space will extend based on that rendering, but it looks something like this:

 

[GVSUChris]

12 minutes ago, RiversideGR said:

I think it is great that we are getting more options and I'm sure people (especially families) will utilize it. It took me a while to realize that I don't enjoy eating heavy foods before a flight...I don't feel great after and the passengers in the seats next to me also won't appreciate it. I love Freddy's but it's something I eat in the privacy of my own home when nobody is there to see me cramming fries into my mouth between bites of my burger.  I had a good salad at the Aletitude spot in the new terminal recently. 

It is hard to say how far out that new space will extend based on that rendering, but it looks something like this:

 

I think you are correct in that. 
There is also this photo rendering. 

[MJLO]

Should we start a go fund me to move that janky ass old traffic control tower?  It’s the last remaining feature that makes GRR look like it has goats grazing near the runway. 

[mgreven]

1 hour ago, RiversideGR said:

I think it is great that we are getting more options and I'm sure people (especially families) will utilize it. It took me a while to realize that I don't enjoy eating heavy foods before a flight...I don't feel great after and the passengers in the seats next to me also won't appreciate it. I love Freddy's but it's something I eat in the privacy of my own home when nobody is there to see me cramming fries into my mouth between bites of my burger.  I had a good salad at the Aletitude spot in the new terminal recently. 

It is hard to say how far out that new space will extend based on that rendering, but it looks something like this:

 

Thank you!  I couldn't figure out what this expansion was.  The renderings kind of look like it looks now.  This makes so much more sense.  Eager to see it done!

My sister (who grew up in GR) flew in last March and was shocked and how much more "big city" the airport looks now.  (Granted, she lives in a small southern town but I'm glad she was impressed!)

[organsnyder]

During our vacation last summer, my family flew out of terminal B and into terminal A. It felt like we were landing in a different city.

[GRDadof3]

$80 Million of that is the new baggage handling system. That's a massive contract for whoever is doing the handling system. 

"Behind the scenes, there will also be a new automated system for getting checked bags from the counter through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspection and then onto the plane. That system accounts for $80 million of the project’s $135 million price tag. TSA will put $30 million toward the new system." - from Mlive

The rendering of the terminal expansion...

 

 

 

 

Also, call me not as tuned in as I used to be, but I picked someone up at the airport last night and there's a tower crane at the east end of the terminal area. What was that for again? 

Edit: is that the car rental consolidation and expansion? 

[GRDadof3]

On 1/17/2024 at 12:33 AM, walker said:

Construction as of 1-11-2024 of the new consolidated car rental facility:

 

Never mind, found my answer in this thread. 

[joeDowntown]

Yep, it's the car rental expansion. 

I wonder if the expansion will remove a gate in terminal A, or if they'll still be able to maneuver a plane in with the new addition. 

I'm also a bit surprised they didn't extend the wave canopy a bit with the expansion (all the way (or close) to the eastern edge of the parking ramp.

Joe

[walker]

More construction ground breaking at GRR.   This time for a new garage for the snow plows and blowers:

GRR PRESS RELEASE: Ford International Airport Breaks Ground on $8.5 Million Snow Removal Equipment Building

The placard in the press release photo of  the ground breaking dirt pile doesn't seem to match the press release content: