Today’s Local News » Ready for take off

Photo by Charlie Neuman | Union-Tribune

Finisher Danny Stewart smooths out fresh concrete in front of the terminal at McClellan-Palomar Airport. The surface consists of a patented formula that contains crushed shells to give it texture and color.

Ready for take off

New $20 million Palomar Airport terminal set to open Monday

By Steven Mihailovich

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Five small, outdated buildings are giving way to a new $20 million terminal at McClellan-Palomar Airport.

The new building, which will open Monday, was designed by Wadell Engineering, a Bay Area company that has built 400 airport facilities.

The exterior features swirling concrete patterns that bring to mind the sea, sky and shoreline of Carlsbad. The surface is a patented formula that contains crushed shells to give it texture and color, said Willie Vasquez, the airport manager.

“A terminal here needs to be a little more interesting than you have anywhere else,” said Robert Wadell, chief executive of Wadell Engineering. “If it’s sitting in the middle of Kansas, it’s so what. But people in Carlsbad and North County are a little more discriminating. They expect more.”

The airport’s arrival area will include a water feature and numerous plants as well as an automated baggage carousel.

“The new people arriving to Carlsbad, those are the people you want to impress,” Vasquez said.

The new terminal will actually decrease operational floor space from 24,000 square feet to 18,000 square feet.

“We took a disorganized group of buildings and consolidated them into one,” Vasquez said.

Built in 1961, the old terminal has a lobby and two offices. Ticketing is done in the adjacent trailer, and baggage claim consists of grabbing one’s luggage from a pile in a walled staging area.

Portable toilets serve as restrooms.

Peter Drinkwater, the county’s airport director, said the old terminal’s washroom, which suffered from adequate ventilation, was closed months ago to reduce the odor in the lobby.

“The washroom was not much better than an outhouse,” Drinkwater said.

The new terminal brings McClellan-Palomar airport into the 21st century.

Vasquez said four ticketing counters in the lobby are surrounded by plenty of open space and baggage will be transported to handlers by a conveyor belt instead of by hand.

About 3,000 square feet is devoted to the Landings restaurant, the airport’s first since 2006, Vasquez said. And the new terminal has modern washrooms.

The back room houses support operations and airline offices.

To accommodate future growth, the new terminal has more office space than needed by the two airlines that currently serve the airport, Vasquez said.

Aside from beauty and efficiency, the new terminal is expected to resolve numerous safety concerns. At the old terminal, rental cars had to cross near the runway to be delivered and people could potentially come close to spinning propellers, Drinkwater said.

Vasquez said the waiting room for departing passengers is physically separated from the lobby for security purposes. In addition, 30 security cameras will be installed at various sites around the airport, including security gates.

“In the past, people just swiped their gate cards, and you can’t see who’s going in,” Vasquez said. “Now when you swipe the card, the computer shows a picture and security can compare it to the person in the camera.”

The new building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, Vasquez said. The terminal grounds will contain 60,000 plants, both large and small, which will serve to filter runoff water before it enters the storm drain, he added.

In addition, the large windows around the terminal can be opened.

“In keeping with the flavor of Carlsbad and its nice weather, we wanted to bring outside in,” Vasquez said. “We don’t have to air-condition all the time, and that lowers our energy costs.”

The project carries a $20 million price tag. The new terminal building itself cost $6.5 million, with the rest going for grading, improvements to the apron, new access roads and an elevator for the 700-vehicle parking lot down the hill from the terminal, Vasquez said.

The project was financed in part by a $13 million Federal Aviation Administration loan. Vasquez said the airport will begin charging for parking in April to help pay off the loan.

Parking is currently free. Vasquez estimated the fee will be $3 to $5 daily.

“We have people that park here that have nothing to do with the airport,” Vasquez said.

With the new terminal complete, McClellan-Palomar Airport’s commercial operations are poised to take off. The airport served 55,000 commercial passengers last year, Drinkwater said.

The future will depend on the North County market. While the airport is making money, Vasquez said only 5 percent of the operations are commercial travel, with corporate travel and general aviation, such as flight schools and air ambulances, accounting for the majority.

Although its single runway can only accommodate small jets and turbo-prop airplanes, Vasquez said area residents would use it more if flights to regional destinations such as San Francisco, Phoenix and Cabo San Lucas became available.

“A lot of people like the airport because it’s close,” Vasquez said. “But people live in the area and never know there’s a (commercial) airport here.”

A Regional Air Transportation Plan, including all county airports, is under way. Drinkwater said it will provide direction for McClellan-Palomar Airport’s future, but he added that the North County market will be the ultimate arbiter.

“All we’ve done is modernize it,” Drinkwater said. “The question is, ‘What comes next?’ The needs of North County will shape what Palomar will be over the next 10 to 15 years.

“Should public demand not be there, we built it so it can serve corporate travel and general aviation and we can abandon the commercial.”

The week ahead

Open houses for military. Sam’s Club will host an open house for military to save money on holiday meals and gifts, waiving its 10 percent nonmember service fee. Open houses will be from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nnov 17 and Dec. 1 and 15 at 1900 University Drive, Vista. (760) 732-1101.

Native American Month. Cal State San Marcos celebrates American Indian heritage with a series of events showcasing film, poetry and cultural arts featuring national recognized American Indian artists. “Warrior Words: An Evening With John Trudell” will be the keynote event, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 room 111, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos. Free. (760) 750-4010.

Chamber luncheon. Oceanside Chamber of Commerce will host this event from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 at El Camino Country Club, 3202 W. Vista Way, Oceanside. Col. Dave Myers, deputy commander of MCIWEST, will speak. (760) 722-1534.

Lecture and book signing. Author Keith Meldahl, who wrote “Hard Road West: History and Geology Along the Gold Rush Trail,” will speak at 2 p.m. Wednesday, History Center, 321 N. Broadway, Escondido. Free. (760) 743-8207.

Downtown business news. The Downtown Business Association and the Escondido Chamber of Commerce will present “An Update on the Changing Bank and Financial Environment and How it Will Effect You and Your Business.” Bring a sack lunch at noon Thursday, Nov. 20, 720 N. Broadway, Escondido. Topics include the financial bailout, confidence in local banks and the current loan situation. Free. (760) 745-8877.

Thanksgiving bingo. The city of San Marcos Family Enrichment Program will host this event, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 at Wood House, 1148 Rock Springs Road, San Marcos. The first person to call bingo will win Thanksgiving dinner items such as cranberries and supplies for green bean casserole. The grand prize winner will receive a turkey. Cost: $3 a person plus a yearly membership of $12 per family. Register by Tuesday. (760) 744-9000.

Morning networking. The Escondido Chamber of Commerce will host “Business Before 9” from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21 at Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 202 E. Via Rancho Parkway, Escondido. Cost: $5 for members; $10 for others. Reservations required. (760) 745-2125.

Daley walks. Naturalist Kathleen Flanagan will lead a fast-paced, strenuous, four-mile walk, 7:30 a.m. Friday. A moderate four-mile hike will be led by naturalist Paul Crouthamel, 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Nov. 22 at Katya McLane will lead a moderately strenuous hike of about four miles that will include a tour of the ponds, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22. All hikes are at Daley Ranch, 3024 La Honda Drive, Escondido. Meet at the entrance. Free. (760) 839-4680.

Trail construction. Volunteers are needed to assist San Dieguito River Park rangers with reconstruction of a section of a trail along Lake Hodges, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21 and Nov. 29, North Shore Trail, Lake Hodges, Escondido. Work will consist of hauling, spreading material, finishing trail surface and installing benches. Tools, training and refreshments provided. (858) 674-2275.

Motorcycle ride. Goldwing Road Riders Association will have its 21st annual benefit in support of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves’ Toys For Tots program on Saturday, Nov. 22. The ride begins at Oceanside Harbor Parking Lot No. 1 (west of Coast Highway, east of the train tracks). Registration is from 9 to 11 a.m. The motorcycles, led by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, will leave at 11:30 a.m., headed out state Route 76 to Casino Pauma. Each rider/co-rider needs to bring $10 for registration and one new unwrapped toy or game. (760) 722-2797.

Historical walk. Ann and Richard Rothwell will lead a walking tour of Old Escondido West, 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22. Meet at the southeast corner of Broadway and Grand Avenue. Free. (760) 743-8207.

Alternative gift market. Gift shopping will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive. www.christiansendingpoverty.org.

“Thank You For Firing Me!” This interactive show will be at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Carlsbad Village Theatre, 822 State St., Carlsbad. The audience members will have the opportunity to vent, tell off and even throw things at the boss. Tickets: after5comedy.com or (800) 754-9737.

Surf legend. Bing Copeland, founder of Bing Surfboards, will make a personal appearance from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 23, California Surf Museum, 223 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside. He will sign copies of “Bing Surfboards — Fifty Years of Craftsmanship and Innovation.” (760) 721-6876.

Pumpkin pies. Families will gather to make pies, 7 p.m. Nov. 24, San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive. Cost: $3 per pie plus yearly membership fee of $12 per family. (760) 744-9000.

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