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| Airport Advisory Board Member Jose Hinojosa Ilustrating How a Hurricane Could Lift the Terminal Roof in the Current Design |
It's back to the proverbial and literal drawing board for the new Brownsville/South Padre Island Airport terminal.(We purposely left the word "international" out of the name with no current service to Mexico.)
"Why are we spending millions of dollars on design, ending up with a modern style, steel and glass building? We could just get Laredo to send us the plans for their terminal," stated longtime Airport Advisory Board Secretary Chris Hughston.
When Airport Director Bryant Walker started to say "that wouldn't work," Hughston interrupted.
"Yes, it would. I know something about construction. It would absolutely work."
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| The Historic Pan American Terminal |
"Look at the old Pan American terminal. That says Brownsville. Steel and glass is not us," stated board member Patricia Williams.
When Director Walker hinted that Mayor Martinez and the City Commission had approved the new terminal design, board member Ed Rivera reminded: "This is an ad.vi.so.ry board. We advise "no" to the new design."
Airport Director Walker responded to concerns about the large number of windows on the building by informing the board that conversations were ongoing with a glass manufacturer to order "hurricane-proof glass." He pointed out that the building's design recognized the typical southeastern winds the area receives.(Editor: Hurricanes dramatically change wind direction once the eye passes.)
Even the financial, enplanements and cargo projections were questioned by this experienced board.
"What if the Trump administration cans N.A.F.T.A? How would that affect cargo projections?"
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| Board Members Ed Rivera and Juan Chavez Taking the Oath of Office from City Attorney Allison Bastian |
The fun was not over yet for relatively new Airport Director Bryant Walker. A board member, who seldom comments raised his hand.
"Have we ever considered creating one large regional airport?" asked the board member.
Brownsville has an airport?
ReplyDeleteIt would of nice if we could see what the new design of the new proposed airport passenger terminal looks like. Did you take any photos of the design?
ReplyDeleteIt would of been good to see the new design of the proposed airport passenger terminal, did you take any images of the design?
ReplyDeleteIt took me a year because Brownsville does not enforce texas code, but Brownsville is in Zone One and for insurance purposes all windows and glass doors must be winstorm certified. The winds are irrelevant. It took me a year to finally get the doors with the state mandated label. I cannot believe the designer of the airport does not know Texas requires all windows and glass doors be windstorm certified to be insured. Will the incompetence ever end?
ReplyDeleteBobby, get lost, bro! Write this for your Blog, where I don't have to see it!!!!!!!
DeleteI'm so sick of having every building in Brownsville have and "old Spanish feel" to it. If they did it right, it would be one thing, but all they do is put some cheap stucco on the exterior with a half round wall on top, like the Alamo, and then claim that it historical. Our architecture is more French than Spanish. An airport is not going to look good with a historical look. If it did, then maybe someone would have tried it by now. What we need are high ceilings with a lot of glass and steel, like every other airport. look at Austin's. Sick of these old relics from the 80's dictating Brownsville's future. All windows and doors have to be approved by TDI. Guess what! They have large windows that are hurricane proof. They use them in places like Miami all the time. Places where architecture thrives, unlike here, where they say stucco it and make it into the Alamo.
ReplyDelete