JWA lot sees terminal day

***FOR THE RECORD: In Saturday’s article “JWA lot sees terminal day,” the cost of demolishing the existing parking structure was incorrectly reported as $58 million. The true cost is $6.75 million, according to spokeswoman Jenny Wedge. The new structure that will be erected will cost roughly $60 million, Wedge said, with a possible second phase that could cost an additional $43 million.***

One of the parking structures at John Wayne Airport came crashing down Friday afternoon as heavy machines tore through its walls.

The demolition is the most prominent development so far in a large-scale effort to add another terminal and another parking structure to the airport. Officials expect the project to be complete by 2011.

In the interim, John Wayne has cleared out its overnight airplane parking to use as a temporary car parking lot.

The additions are still on schedule despite economic hard times because the airport is funding the development through its reserves.

And because so many contractors are desperate for work, the costs are less than engineers originally anticipated, according to spokeswoman Jenny Wedge. Cheaper oil and credit could also drive down the expense, Wedge added.

It will cost about $58 million to demolish the parking structure and about $43 million to build a new one in its place, Wedge said.

The entire project is expected to cost about $650 million, Wedge said. The requests for proposals will go out in January and bids are expected a few months after that.

Construction crews will focus on carting away the rubble of the razed parking structure for the next few months while the design of the new terminal, which will take its place, is completed.

Summer 2009 workers will start building the new terminal and the new parking structure, engineers estimate.

For the time being passengers who want to park their cars at the airport should arrive early, Wedge said.

“Parking is sometimes at a premium at the airport because our parking lots tend to fill up during the week,” she said.

— Alan Blank