KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Members of an Edgemoor-led team presented preliminary renderings at the Kansas City council meeting on Thursday afternoon.
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During the meeting, the Edgemoor team said the airport design focuses on convenience, improved amenities and sustainability. Capturing the culture of Kansas City was another guiding principle for the team.
The allusions to Kansas City can be seen from the outside of the terminal, with a sloping roof designed to mimic Missouri's rolling hills. The centerpiece of the terminal is a two-story fountain that can be programmed with different lighting and logos. It also features a piazza-style retail area with an ode to 18th and Vine.
"Anybody who would get on a plane, if it was the first time he or she was ever in Kansas City, they would say 'I know where I am,'" Edgemoor Managing Director Geoff Stricker said of the design.
While style is important, the Edgemoor team said it realizes the current convenience of KCI is what really matters to most voters. That's why their design features a parking garage across the street and two levels for the terminal instead of one.
"Kansas City, of all the 50 largest cities in the U.S., is the only airport that has departures and arrivals mixed on the same floor," Stricker explained. "Fifty percent of the traffic will now be on one level and 50 percent will be on the other, which means safer, less traffic," he added.
Other features shown in the preliminary renderings include:
- Closed-in parking
- Two-level curbside pickup and drop off areas
- Waiting areas at each gate
- A play area for kids
Edgemoor created a website and a Twitter account to engage with the community and share information about the design and new terminal development. The team also plans to hold town hall meetings so residents can weigh in on the design and suggest changes.
Selling a New KCI to Voters
It is up to voters to decide this November if they even want a new terminal. KC3T, the committee formed to work on the campaign, has just one month to convince them. The group says having renderings will help.
"It gives voters a sense of what's coming," Jason Parson, who's working on the KC3T campaign, said.
Parson said you'll soon hear radio ads and receive mail about next month's election. Voter turnout is a primary concern for the campaign
So far donors have funded KC3T's efforts with more than $500,000. The two biggest contributions came from Cerner and the Heavy Constructors Association, which both pitched in $100,000.
