Begun in 1936 as a Works Projects Administration effort, Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport originally was just a 2-runway airfield meant to spur development in the surrounding area. The plan was that someday, it would grow into a major travel destination.
But World War II brought greater needs, and from 1936 to 1946 the airfield, located about 20 miles north of Seattle, was an Army Air Corps installation. By 1948 the property was returned to local control, only to be taken over by the military again, from 1951 to 1962, when the US Air Force Aerospace Defense had an active unit there.
In 1966 the Air Force had mostly left, opening the spot to development. At that time The Boeing Company built an assembly plant on-site, realizing some of the hopes for development of local officials and business owners. That corporate move was followed over the years by many others; today, the airport is home to more than 50 businesses.
And now, with the Everett, WA, airport’s recent opening of a new $40 million passenger terminal, the transportation hub has truly arrived at the destination its planners once envisioned. The improvements showcase how far the airport has transformed itself since its humble beginnings. A longstanding destination for people from Seattle and northwestern Washington, Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport is a boutique airport, with all the services of such a spot.
See Also: The Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport opens in Israel’s Negev Desert
The opening in March of the airport’s new passenger terminal also means that now, daily commercial flights with more than one carrier are offered. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines are offering a total of 24 daily flights to nine US locations including Los Angeles, Denver and Las Vegas.
The 2-gate, 30,000 SF terminal is the creation of Fentress Architects, which designed the base building, with architectural and interior designs done by Clive Lonstein, Inc. The terminal was completed through a public-private partnership between Snohomish County and Propeller Airports.
The feel of the new terminal is meant to be akin to an upscale hotel, its planners said. Comfortable seating areas, high quality furniture, and building materials including walnut ticket counters with onyx countertops, black walnut paneling and a Bose sound system.
The airport’s offerings also have changed, with some local businesses locating in the pre-security and post-security areas. Before passing through the Security checkpoint, travelers can stop for a moment at the Café Vita coffee shop; and post-security, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Café, a Seattle company, and the Upper Case Bar offer other refreshments.
Related Stories
Airports | Dec 13, 2015
Skybridge connects a terminal and airport on each side of the U.S.-Mexico border
Cross Border Xpress is the first phase of a larger development that will include hotels and offices.
Airports | Dec 4, 2015
National Fire Protection Association drops ban on glass boarding bridges
U.S. airports can now use more aesthetically pleasing building-to-plane links.
Airports | Oct 30, 2015
HOK designs new terminal for Salt Lake City International Airport
The $1.8 billion building will have floor-to-ceiling windows, a spacious central "Canyon," and energy-efficient systems. It will open in 2020.
Airports | Oct 5, 2015
Perkins+Will selected to design Istanbul’s 'Airport City'
The mixed-use development will be adjacent to the Istanbul New Airport, which is currently under construction.
Airports | Sep 30, 2015
Takeoff! 5 ways high-flyin' airports are designing for rapid growth
Nimble designs, and technology that humanizes the passenger experience, are letting airports concentrate on providing service and generating revenue.
Airports | Sep 23, 2015
JFK Airport's dormant TWA terminal will be reborn as a hotel
After 15 years of disuse, the Googie architecture-inspired TWA Flight Center at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport will be transformed into a hotel. Gizmodo reports that the city’s Port Authority chose a renovation proposal from Jet Blue this week.
Giants 400 | Sep 17, 2015
AIRPORT SECTOR GIANTS: KPF, Hensel Phelps, Jacobs top rankings of nation's largest airport terminal sector AEC firms
BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest airport terminal sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2015 Giants 300 Report.
Airports | Aug 31, 2015
Surveys gauge users’ satisfaction with airports
Several surveys gauge passenger satisfaction with airports, as flyers and airlines weigh in on technology, security, and renovations.
Airports | Aug 31, 2015
Small and regional airports in a dogfight for survival
Small and regional airports are in a dogfight for survival. Airlines have either cut routes to non-hub markets, or don’t provide enough seating capacity to meet demand.
Airports | Aug 31, 2015
Airports expand rental car facilities to ease vehicular traffic at their terminals
AEC teams have found fertile ground in building or expanding consolidated rental car facilities, which are the No. 1 profit centers for most airports.
