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Portland International Airport is Oregon’s gateway to the world.

As such, there are high stakes involved in PDX Next, an ambitious series of large airport construction projects that will be carried out by the Port of Portland over the next six years. The most prominent of those is the Terminal Balancing project, an 830-foot long expansion of passenger Concourse E on the airport’s north. The scope of the project calls for the addition of six gates to the concourse and a reconfiguration of how air carriers who serve the airport are organized.

鈥淭he demands and the number of gates that were used on the south side were more than the north side, so the basic need is to balance that out,鈥� said Joe Schneider, a senior vice president with general contractor Skanska USA Building.

Currently, the largest two air carriers at the airport, Alaska Air Group and Southwest Airlines, are located on the south side of the terminal building. This means two-thirds of airport passengers are using that side of the terminal. To create a more even passenger load, Southwest Airlines will move from Concourse C to Concourse E when the project is finished. This will allow Alaska to spread out over concourses B and C.

Future PDX Next projects will include building larger security checkpoints, refurbishing the ticketing and baggage drop spaces, and adding rental car space. Additionally, concourses A and B will be remodeled. In all, work is likely to continue through at least 2024.

The $215 million Terminal Balancing project broke ground last summer and still has roughly two years to go until completion, said Dan Gilkison, Port of Portland project manager. Around 30 percent of the below-grade concrete foundation has been poured to date, while work continues on the construction of a reinforced underground utility tunnel that will host mechanical systems beneath the new concourse.

鈥淲e plan to be basically poured through the end of this in the next month,鈥� Gilkison said. 鈥淭he tunnel will continue as part of that, and then we’ll have the slab-on-grade and the passenger level after that. It’s come along really well 鈥� the contractor’s done a great job of keeping the flow of workers, materials, working with the airfield traffic getting in and out, keeping the site clean, maximizing safety and minimizing injuries.鈥�

The new section of Concourse E will adhere to the traditional styling and amenities that have given the airport a good reputation among the flying public, Schneider said. At the same time, with better lighting and more space, the new construction will improve upon the existing facilities.

鈥淚t should be nicer,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t has a lot more daylight.鈥�

Tim Eddy, principal at Hennebery Eddy Architects, said his firm felt a sense of responsibility to draw up a design that improved upon the original while staying true to the airport’s style.

鈥淐ompatibility would be a better word for it,鈥� Eddy said. 鈥淚t’s very important to the port and quite frankly to us as well. We’re looking for a cohesive whole at the end of the day because it’s really a civic place in a very large way.鈥�

The new concourse will be taller than the existing section and will contain more windows. Three different types of glass of varying opacity will be used. In addition, the south side of the structure will feature glazed windows with a curtain wall, an approach that will help maximize natural light while minimizing heat gain inside the building.

The project is aiming to achieve a LEED Gold rating.

When completed, the new concourse will be the first thing passengers arriving by vehicle will see as they drive up.

鈥淭he idea is that the building works as a companion to the old terminals and that it works as an entrance to the airport,鈥� Eddy said.

So, what’s next? Once concrete foundation work is finished, ironworkers will start erecting the structural steel that will support the building.

鈥淚t’ll be November, December when we start setting it,鈥� said Port of Portland construction manager Don Tjostolvson.

The building should be topped out sometime in the first quarter of 2019, Schneider said.

鈥淭hat’ll be exciting,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd then the months following that we’ll work on the exterior cladding, and the public will see us working on the roofing and windows.鈥�