Offutt Air Force Base – Air Traffic Control Tower

Jan 31, 2022

Offutt Air Force Base – Air Traffic Control Tower

Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska

Offutt Air Force Base is the headquarters of the US Strategic Command, and controls the largest wing in Air Combat Command. To update their functionally out-of-date air traffic control tower, they reached out to LEO A DALY for its demolition and new facility design. Using an integrated design approach, the design emphasizes environmental stewardship, efficiency in resources, and development of a safe and productive work environment.

The 11-story, 8,242 SF facility is constructed of sandwich-panel (insulated) precast concrete for durability, ease of construction, and energy efficiency. It includes flight simulator training and front load training, along with mechanical and electrical support in a two-story base building. Training and administrative office space, briefing area, electronic equipment, radar final control, and break room facilities all were elevated within the tower shaft below the control cab. Anti-terrorism and force protection measures included progressive collapse and blast resistance.

Client 

US Army Corps of Engineers – Omaha District

At a glance

11 stories

8,242 SF

2-story building

Features

Air traffic control simulator

Anti-terrorism and force protection measures included progressive collapse and blast resistance

Services

Feasibility concepts

Demolition documents

Architectural design

Construction documents

Construction administration

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

Oct 2, 2020

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

Mesa, Arizona

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority has seen marked air traffic growth in recent years, with greater future demands projected, necessitating a new and taller state-of-the-art air traffic control tower (ATCT) meeting all current FAA criteria. Partially funded under the FAA Contract Tower Program, the new ATCT replaces a 1968-vintage tower originally constructed to serve the former Williams Air Force base airfield.

The 194-foot tall ATCT includes a 500-GSF control cab with a 164-feet AGL controller eye level, suitable for eight controller positions. The lower tower shaft portions are unoccupied, accommodating vertical circulation (egress stair tower and elevator) and various mechanical, electrical, communications, fire protection, and NAVAIDS utility risers. The upper tower shaft features a 2-story expanded occupied ring that houses various electronic and computer equipment spaces, a staff breakroom, meeting/training room, air traffic manager office, restrooms, mechanical/electrical and storage spaces. The stair tower is pressurized to facilitate occupant egress while preventing smoke during a fire event. The expanded base building Ground Floor level houses FAA electronic equipment and storage rooms, the main mechanical and electrical service entrances, entry vestibule, elevator lobby and communications demark spaces.

The tower’s seismically resistant 12-sided precast concrete shaft rests on an expanded concrete mat slab in turn mounted atop an augered cast reinforced concrete pile network. Intermediate floor slab and stair construction is also of precast design, with the upper tower expanded ring construction employing steel framing with insulated metal panel cladding and high-performance insulated glazing bands. Civil site work included regrading, paving, and native Arizona sustainable xeriscape landscaping, with a fence-secured site perimeter.

Client 

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority

At a glance

194 foot tall tower

Suitable for eight controller positions

FAA and NAVAIDS equipment selection and procurement

Features

Early contractor involvement during design phase optimized costs

Pressurized stair tower facilitates occupant egress

Seismically resistant design

Services

Architecture

Engineering

Construction phase services

Cost estimation

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

Oct 2, 2020

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

Sarasota, Florida

The 128 foot-tall tower is a significant investment in our nation’s airport infrastructure and enhances air traffic controllers’ ability to provide the safest, most efficient service to flights at the busy Florida airport.

The design included site adaptations of a modified standard FAA Low Activity Level Tower with a 525 SF control cab and a base building following a standard floor plan for an FAA 9,000 SF administrative base building with a custom link.

The 10-sided polygon tower are integrated with the control cab. The tower floor level is 109 feet above ground level with precast concrete wall panels forming the building envelope.

Cast-in-place concrete, precast concrete, and steel frame structures were evaluated. Insulated sandwich-panel precast concrete was selected for cost, durability, wind and blast resistance, quality of finish, cost, and ease of construction.

For maximum visibility, the control cab was designed to incorporate only four columns and uses a butt-glazed cab window system. Insulated structural precast concrete panels were designed with interlocking edges to help ensure wind-driven rain would be kept out of the building during a major storm or hurricane.

The FAA, Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority (SMAA) and FDOT funded the $24.8 million facility under a unique agreement. The FAA invested $7.2 million in the new tower design, engineering and electronic equipment, which the agency installed and will maintain. SMAA funded $8.9 million for construction and it will own and maintain the building. FDOT also contributed $8.7 million for tower construction. The facility includes a 9,000-square-foot base building that houses equipment, administrative offices and training rooms. The new facility includes an updated voice communications system, radio transmitter and flight data processor, which controllers use to communicate with other FAA facilities and the airport.

Client 

Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority

At a glance

10-sided polygon tower

9,000 SF administrative base building with custom link

525 SF control cab

Features

Life-cycle cost comparisons of three structure systems

Insulated structural precast concrete panels with interlocking edges

Control cab designed for maximum visibility

Services

Planning

Architecture

Engineering

Construction documents

Biggs Army Airfield Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Building

Sep 8, 2020

Biggs Army Airfield Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Building

El Paso, Texas

Biggs Army Airfield holds one of the country’s longest runways (13,556 FT) and monitors around 100,000 aircraft movements a year. Air traffic control is a critical element in the mission control of the Army installation that includes the 1st Armored Division‘s Combat Aviation Brigade, and the 127th Aviation Support Battalion, made up of AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk, and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. It also services Air Force One.

LEO A DALY was selected by the US Army Corps of Engineers-Fort Worth District, to develop the design-build construction documents and provide construction administration services for the new 10-story control tower and 3,600-SF administrative base building. The control tower is comprised of cast-in-place concrete walls and continuous exterior insulation, providing significant energy savings with inherent structural capacity. Unique to this tower, window openings provide daylight and views to levels two through nine, while the level 10 cab glass provides mission-essential 360-degree viewing. Placed midway to the side of the runway, the new tower provides better visibility of the runway, aircraft and the  maintenance/parking ramp. 

A raised main entry calls attention to the single-story administrative wing with offices, training rooms, and other support spaces. The project also includes a communications transmitter building and three remote transmitter receiver antennas.

In addition to continuous insulation, additional energy- and water-saving strategies include the use of sun shades and interior light shelves on south and west facades, reflective roof membranes, high R-value roof and wall systems, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. Materials were chosen to last decades and stand up to continuous occupancy use. The facility is designed to achieve LEED-NC Silver certification and is committed to sharing benchmark energy- and water-savings data through an additional ENERGY STAR certification.

Client 

US Army Corps of Engineers – Fort Worth District

At a glance

Design-build

97-foot tower, 3,600 SF base building

AT/FP criteria

Designed to LEED silver

Features

Elevator-equipped for better accessibility to meet the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA)

360-degree viewing cab glass

Energy and water-saving strategies

Services

Programming

Planning

Architecture

Engineering

Sustainable design

Grand Forks Air Force Base – Air Traffic Control Tower and Radar Approach Control

Nov 1, 2018

Grand Forks Air Force Base – Air Traffic Control Tower and Radar Approach Control

Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota

Design-build bridging documents were developed for this collocated 118-foot tall air traffic control tower and two-story, 11,000 SF radar approach control center for Grand Forks Air Force Base. The scope included assessment of existing facilities and operations, developing the requirements document, programming, conceptual design, as well as limited drawings, design-build specifications, and follow-on oversight during the final design for this project. The facility is equipped with cab simulation, five active radar positions, and two training positions, computer-based instruction, administrative offices, and duty-ready break rooms.

Client 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

At a glance

Tower stands 118 feet tall

11,000 SF radar approach control center

Features

Air Mobility Command design award – concept design

Services

Requirements document

Programming

Conceptual design

Design-build drawing

Specifications

Construction documents

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport – Air Traffic Control Tower & Terminal Radar Approach Control

Feb 1, 2015

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport – Air Traffic Control Tower & Terminal Radar Approach Control

Scranton, Pennsylvania
Master planning, architectural design, and engineering services were provided for this 132-foot air traffic control tower (ATCT), and an 8,000-SF terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facility. The tower is located directly across the terminal providing best visual advantages for air traffic control operations. Due to the location of the new facilities (as dictated by the FAA), over 4,500 lineal feet of roads, water, sewer, electrical, cable, and communications lines were installed. Additionally, the airport security fencing and gate system for operations required re-design. All site engineering was coordinated with the airport’s future plans to add a major general aviation.

Client 

Federal Aviation Administration – Eastern Region

At a glance

132 foot tall tower

8,000 SF TRACON facility

Features

Over 4,500 lineal feet of roads, water,
sewer, electrical, cable, and
communications lines were installed

Services

Master planning

Architectural design

Construction documents

Full architectural and engineering services

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – Terminal & Air Traffic Control Tower

Jun 30, 1999

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – Terminal & Air Traffic Control Tower

Washington, DC

In association with Cesar Pelli, LEO A DALY served as prime consultant, engineer, and executive architect for this major airport. The project consists of two components: the South Terminal Renovation, and the North Terminal, the centerpiece of a decade-long $800 million terminal renovation. Along with the airport terminal, the project also included the design of the 196-foot tall airport traffic control tower (ATCT) with a 545 SF cab and a 27,300 SF terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facility.

While maintaining an aggressive schedule and completing the project without causing any disruptions to on-going airport operations, we also coordinated the activities of more than 20 consultants and concurrently managed the related vehicle and pedestrian circulation project. This project placed new elevated roadways, and connected attached perpendicular terminal pedestrian walkways from the new terminal, through the Metro station, and on to the parking garage to create a truly multi-modal facility.

Client 

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

At a glance

27,300 SF terminal radar approach control facility

196 FT tall air traffic control tower

Features

Significant cost reductions through value engineering

Aggressive project schedule

Managed over 20 consultants

Terminal design in association with Cesar Pelli & Associates

Services

Executive architect

Prime consultant

Mechanical and electrical engineer

Awards

Honor Award – Job of the Year National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association

WBC Craftsmanship Award for Outstanding Work Washington Building Congress, Inc.

Honor Award – Design for Transportation National Awards US Department of Transportation

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