New Police, Fire, and Rescue Center for LaGuardia

The board of commissioners for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved the planning and design for a new 45,000-sq.ft. building that will house advanced police command, aircraft rescue, and firefighting facilities at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, N.Y.

The board authorized $2.6 million for the design phase, which will draft plans to replace an existing facility, dating to 1940 and expanded about 20 years ago, that now lacks space for existing equipment and staff.

The new building would house the Port Authority's police command at the airport, as well as its emergency vehicle fleet. The police command has officers cross-trained as firefighters on its Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting unit.

The center would be on the airport's western portion near the two runways, offering quicker response in the event of emergencies on those routes. In addition to emergency response facilities, the building would house holding areas for adult and juvenile detainees, quarters for the K-9 unit, locker rooms, and storage areas.

Work Wraps up on Long Island Airport

A $42.9 million terminal improvement program for Southwest Airlines at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, N.Y., finished on schedule recently. The project involved building 178,000 sq. ft. for advanced security facilities, passenger arrival areas, four new gates, and administrative offices.

Tampa-based Aviation Constructors, Inc. led the project team on the design-build job, joined by New York-based James Barclay and Associates as architectural designer and Gensler of Washington, D.C. as interior designer. Other team members were Telesis of Richmond, Va., as the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer and New York-based Gilsanz, Murray & Steficeky, LLP as structural engineer.

ACI has offices on Long Island as well as seven other locations across the Sun Belt states.

Conn. Light Rail Plans Inch Forward

The Connecticut Public Transportation Commission is continuing its feasibility study for a proposed light rail system that would run from New Haven, Conn., through Hartford, and ultimately up to Springfield, Mass. The plans are in their early stages, with the next steps including a draft final report and public information meetings for affected communities. A final report is slated for early 2005.

A state transportation department spokesman said that a cost analysis and project estimate would follow before the matter heads to the state's general assembly to decide how and whether to fund the plan. In addition to serving commuters, the line would provide links to the existing Metro North and Shore Line East commuter lines in New Haven and to Bradley International Airport near Hartford.

The commission has posted its initial study on a Web site: www.nhhsrail.com. The department hired Wilbur Smith Associates of New Haven to perform the study.