Learning About the Hollywood Burbank Airport Replacement Passenger Terminal Project

On Friday, October 27, USC ITE held its second technical tour of the semester, this time to the Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) located about 15 miles from USC. Historically known as the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, the Hollywood Burbank Airport is perhaps best known as a convenient alternative to LAX for residents in the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valley areas and is one of the few remaining U.S. airports where passengers board and deplane in open air using ramps and stairs. The planned Replacement Passenger Terminal Project (PROJECT) has been on the drawing board for more than three decades. Students are privileged to tour the current airport configuration and gain a better understanding about the improvements.  

We were greeted by Mr. Patrick Lammerding, Deputy Director for Planning and Development at Burbank Airport, Mr. Perry Martin and Ms. Janice Lee, Senior and Deputy Program Managers, respectively, for Jacobs Solutions, the program management firm for the PROJECT. Mr. Lammerding offered a comprehensive  overview of the history of the Airport and its significance to the local region since its opening in 1930. The airport configuration has largely remained the same over the decades and no longer conforms with the current design standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for safe flight operations. Projected to open in late 2026, the PROJECT will place a new passenger terminal on the north side of the airfield with the same number of gates as the existing terminal (14). The new terminal will remain single story with passengers boarding and deplaning via stairs. In planning and designing the $1.2+ billion PROJECT, Mr. Lammerding noted that challenges included concerns over neighborhood impacts, which led to an emphasis on working with local residents through a series of design charrettes to best accommodate stakeholders’ concerns and develop a balanced approach. 

Following the presentation, students were given an unique opportunity to tour the airfield and the new PROJECT site via a bus.  Along the way, Mr. Lammerding pointed out several hangars and warehouses that house celebrities' private jets or collections of exotic cars. Seeing planes moving down a taxiway just feet away from us is such a treat! The tour was a great success and students gained much insight into the role of airport planners and the complexities that come with embarking on a major terminal project. 

Additionally, we would like to thank Mr. John T. Hatanaka, Senior Deputy Executive Director and Honorable Frank Quintero, Commissioner of the Burbank Airport Authority for supporting the tour request.