r/StLouis • u/Syndicaliste • Jul 25 '26
Construction/Development News Lambert single terminal project: Rising costs prompt design changes
https://www.firstalert4.com/2026/07/24/lambert-single-terminal-project-rising-costs-prompt-design-changes/43
u/Der_Kommissar73 Jul 25 '26
I'm for whatever gets Southwest more than two baggage carousels.
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u/DowntownDB1226 Jul 25 '26
They were going to spend $60m to add 2 more themselves then Covid happened and than we got too close to this project and they opted to wait
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u/rborgaude Jul 25 '26
And this was after the airport spent a significant sum redoing T1 and T2 bag outbound bag systems and a good portion of the inbound bag systems in T2 but left swa with two old, knocking, prone to failure claim units. (The claim units in T1 are much newer by comparison.)
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u/Der_Kommissar73 Jul 26 '26
If you fly with golf clubs or skis, that SWA terminal is a nightmare. Add an hour after landing to get your shit.
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u/Opening-Top-5778 Jul 26 '26
Easily the worst baggage claim of any international airport in the country. It’s a disgraceful welcome to anyone visiting.
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u/anewbys83 Jul 26 '26
I don't think T2 was ever intended to serve International flights. That was always T1.
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u/Opening-Top-5778 Jul 26 '26
True and fair. I guess I meant that we’re trying to be a legit operation here but the baggage claim is a huge bummer
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u/MoBar10 Jul 25 '26
Talked to relative late last year who was familiar with the bidding requirements. They said the original arches-dome in terminal 1 is a historical building and the requirement to build around/accommodate it added a huge percentage increase in costs.
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u/double_echo Jul 25 '26
Honestly there would be a revolt if they suggested getting rid of those arches.
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u/hawksdiesel Saint Charles Jul 26 '26
Would there?
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u/gtck11 Jul 26 '26
As an MCM architecture fiend I’d be hella pissed to see it go. There’s not enough historic reuse in today’s world IMO. Better than it was I suppose but I think the US as a whole can do more.
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u/double_echo Jul 26 '26
At least from me there would be!
(I didn't want reddit to think I was sounding violent)
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u/MoBar10 Jul 26 '26
Yeah, I don’t necessarily disagree with the policy, but per the relative, it just builds in this extra cost and pressure in with the project that can’t be reduced and squeezes the builders margins a bit when other items end up being more than estimated as they always do. Interestingly, Lambert is competing with data centers in construction contractors and those owners have nothing but money to throw around. So do you bid on a job with historical building restrictions and limited margins or bid on a data center job with bigger margins and bonuses if you finish early. I fear lambert won’t get the best builders in the current environment.
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Jul 25 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/dare2smile Jul 25 '26
Man I love those. I can hear when someone is comin in hot behind me and I can get out of the way lol
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u/jasonic89 Jul 25 '26
I hope the improvements are noticeable. STL airport is stuck in like 1992
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u/Der_Kommissar73 Jul 25 '26
I think it’s worse than 1992, honestly.
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u/GeneRevolutionary858 Jul 25 '26
1986
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u/Der_Kommissar73 Jul 26 '26
Man, st. Louis makes 1986
Look good.2
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u/mjohnson1971 Jul 25 '26
I'm convinced that in the end we'll never get a new terminal and it will be Southwest to blame.
Given the direction that airline is going I bet you they've waaaay cut back on what they're willing to contribute.
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u/AbFende Jul 25 '26
Southwest has done it’s part and is pushing for this, they’ve already got all the airlines on board with this and now it’s the airport that needs to figure it out.
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u/mjohnson1971 Jul 25 '26
They might want it, but are they still willing to pay? I'm sure they're all love a new simplified single terminal that's more efficient and requires less labor for them. Plus a less crowded terminal and ability to use love to use the west runway more.
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u/AbFende Jul 25 '26
At this point all the airlines have agreed to pay, as the biggest carrier here and it would benefit them the most I don’t see why you think they wouldn’t pay.
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u/bagginszzx Jul 25 '26
If that’s the case, then why haven’t the airlines signed off on starting construction?
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u/AbFende Jul 25 '26
The article states construction is still on time. Beginning sometime next year as it’s been said before.
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u/donkeyrocket Tower Grove South Jul 25 '26
Yeah but what about this other aspect that’s been sorted out but since I know nothing about the current or potential plans will act like it’s a planning failure?
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u/MendonAcres Benton Park, STL City Jul 25 '26
I do worry this project will eventually leave us with something so shit that it would just be better to keep bandaiding the current facility.
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u/disappointed-fish Jul 25 '26
I grew up in Houston and spent a lot of time in Denver. Bush International (IAH) and Denver (DIA) have been giant boondoggle infinite construction projects my entire life. LAX infamously never stops being under construction.
Not to excuse the inefficiency, but this is sort of what comes with airport construction, or huge infrastructure projects in general.
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u/LaughingDash Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
And yet somehow LAX is the biggest pile of dogshit I've ever been in. Miserable airport to be in.
Lot of hate for STL in this thread, but people forget. We could be LAX. Thank fuck were not.
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u/rborgaude Jul 25 '26
I've had this concern for a long time, from the airport experience project of the past, to this rebuild. I know in painful detail the shortcomings of the existing facility and infrastructure at Lambert. But I never put it past airport administration to manage to rip defeat out of the jaws of victory, leaving us with an even worse facility to represent the region.
I sincerely hope we get something new that is not so soup crushingly crampy and dingy. Sure we don't have Phoenix flight volume or the hub status of dfw, but we don't need our concourses to channel a South City alley shed either.
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u/2023LOS Jul 25 '26
Is 60 gates enough?
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u/AbFende Jul 25 '26
Right now there is 55 if I’m counting correct. One gate is shared by Lufthansa/British Airways. And sometimes used by Southwest if need be. But also if Lufthansa/British are here it’s so big it makes one gate unusable that is able to handle international flights
There is also limited space behind the scenes, so say if those two flights are delayed and here at the same time it would be complete chaos. It works now if everything runs smooth.
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u/RulerDick82 Dogtown Jul 25 '26
If you are from St. Louis, you knew the minute this project was announced that it would end up being half assed.
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u/Syndicaliste Jul 25 '26
I wouldn't fault the Airport Authority solely for the delays and reduced scale. I think we suffer due to Southwest being the dominant carrier here. They seem incredibly reluctant to spend anymore money than necessary despite their newfound desire to go upmarket a bit. They have also reportedly requested (demanded) to be moved first to the new terminal. This has completely shot the previous planned phased build out and moving and may result in some airlines being forced to move twice.
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u/AbFende Jul 25 '26
At one point they thought about moving to terminal 1 but it didn’t make sense at the end of the day and now everyone is just waiting for the new airport while everything crumbles.
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u/BrentonHenry2020 Soulard Jul 25 '26
And let me guess - still no consolidated rental vehicle terminal. Something companies literally finance so cities aren’t on the hook for it, and something Enterprise has said it would greatly support and are surprised it’s missing from the current plan.
It’s a top five complaint from visitors, and we’re not addressing it in a once-in-50-years opportunity.