Workers finished a main phase of the San Francisco International Airport’s Terminal Two renovation project Thursday after the last of the major steel work was completed, airport officials said.
The terminal’s final steal I-beam was hoisted and welded into place this afternoon, and the terminal is expected to reopen in spring 2011, according to officials.
Construction of the $371 million began in September 2008, and it has created 600 jobs, according to the mayor’s office.
“This project allows the Bay Area to meet the growing needs of travelers… and ensures that SFO remains a significant economic engine in the region by creating and maintaining jobs,” San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said.
Traffic through SFO has increased by 2.5 percent since July of 2008, according to the mayor’s office. The airport generates $2.2 billion in federal tax revenue, more than $883 million in state taxes, and more than $756 million in local taxes.
Once completed, the renovated Terminal Two will have 14 gates, more than 575,000 square feet of public space, two children’s play areas and Slow Food vendors, according to airport officials.
The merchants will sell healthy, locally grown food, and there will be a spa and marketplace, commissioned artwork, and meet and greet areas.
The terminal, which airport officials say is expected to accommodate 3.2 million passengers in its first year, will also have a LEEDS Silver Certification.
