From: Mark Pillar, president, Columbus Aviation Board of Commissioners
Columbus
On September 12, Brian Payne, airport director, announced that five architectural firms have been selected by Cummins Foundation Architectural Program to be selected as design architect for the new Columbus, Indiana air traffic control tower. This is the most exciting thing to happen at the airport since it was given to the city by the government in 1972.
Last week a guiding team of people that included aviation commissioners, airport staff, persons from our community and airport consultant and structural engineer, Woolpert, met virtually and in person with the five firms to discuss their firm and allow them to have open discussion with the guiding team. We basically opened up lines of communication and clarified how their questions would get answered.
I have to share with you how excited they all are to be able to participate in this project! They all recognize what a tremendous opportunity it is for their firm to have a piece of their architecture in Columbus. Three of the teams have participated in Exhibit Columbus and all are intimately familiar with the unique architectural gifts we have here. Each of the teams is anxious to be the next and newest destination on the Columbus architectural tour.
Over the next five weeks the guiding team will work with each firm as they build their presentations to bring to a public meeting in Columbus. Each of them will have the opportunity to showcase why they want to be selected for this endeavor. Then comes the hard part as the guiding team will have to choose one design architect to move forward in the project, and while I’m certain that it will be challenging, I’m also certain that we will make the right choice for our community. The next 12 months of work after will be finalizing a design, bidding, and ultimately constructing a one-of-a-kind structure for all of Columbus to enjoy.
We will get the word out to the public where and when these presentations will take place at a later date. Please join us as we begin this journey.
