GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Green Bay’s Austin Straubel International Airport is getting a facelift.
Work began on the exterior of the airport on Tuesday. Airport Director Marty Piette says the paint isn’t the only big project.
“A little bit of it is the paint colors. The majority of this project is about rehabilitating the canopy that is in front of the terminal building, [but also] updating the colors to a more modern light gray with a blue accent color,” Piette told WTAQ News. “We have a number of other projects involving the resurfacing of the long term and short term parking lots, updating the barrier around the parking lot, adding some more security features and some decorative fencing and also LED lighting throughout the parking lot.”
Piette estimates that the terminal building canopy has been around since the ’60s, while the previously stylish turquoise color has been around since the early ’90s.
“Just like your house, you need to update it every so often. Update the exterior, refresh the paint, make sure that it’s still an aesthetically pleasing facility – but we also wanted to retain some of the conveniences that the passengers enjoy,” Piette said.
Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach took the scissor lift to help kick off the $8.2 million exterior refresh project, and leave a few brush strokes on the facade.
“Today’s really a sign of a positive story in terms of the overall growth and the continued support by the local community and the regional community that we’re making an investment,” Streckenbach said. “At the same time, we’re taking care of some of those infrastructural needs, the security aspects, the lighting – ultimately to make the customer who’s coming into our airport feel safer and more convenient.”
The projects are being funded through the Federal Airport Improvement Program, Bureau of Aeronautics, and state funds.
“Probably expect most of this to be completed – construction has started now, and we have a number of other phases – probably not until next year. So we’re just asking people to be patient when they come into the airport and to watch the signs,” Piette said.
Depending on the year, about 700,000 passengers pass through the terminal.
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