XNA provides project updates

Work continues on a $34 million terminal renovation at Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Highfill. Nabholz is the general contractor for the project that’s set to be completed in 2025.

It’s one of the projects Ben Perea, director of construction for XNA, discussed in a recent XNA Board of Directors meeting. The project, which was designed by Hight Jackson Associates, includes a new terminal facade, lobby, elevators, escalators and stairwells. Construction started in March.

He said curtain walls and glass are being installed at the front of the terminal, “which is kind of a big milestone allowing them to kind of enclose that space.” Over the next month, he expects “heavy movement to advance things, moving to the next phase …” Perea also noted the terrazzo on the baggage area was recently completed.

On Dec. 19, the XNA board approved working with Crossland Construction to build a new control tower and communications center. Total project costs are not expected to exceed $17.57 million and $2.58 million, respectively, plus a 5% contingency. The design team for the 141-foot-tall tower included AJT Engineering, Garver and Hight Jackson. The design team for the communications center comprised Garver and WER Architecture. Construction on the projects is expected to be completed by fall 2025.

This year, Nabholz will convert the first floor of the parking deck to allow for public parking. The $693,676 project will take about 10 weeks and add about 370 public parking spaces to the deck. The first floor was dedicated to rental car operations. The four-story deck comprised 1,489 parking spaces when it opened in 2018.

Other projects in the works include replacing the moving walkway with a lounge, workspaces, and a gathering space or children’s area, adding a gallery for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and installing a monument sign near the terminal entrance.