SALT LAKE CITY — Demolition of the old Salt Lake City International Airport is underway and will continue for the next several months.
Phase one of the brand new airport is now open, and phase two is expected to finish construction in 2024.
READ: Ribbon cutting opens new SLC International Airport
Crews have started dismantling and demolishing the former airport facilities in preparation for the build out of Phase II.
“Today you’re here maybe to say goodbye to the former airport,” said Mike Williams, program director of the airport redevelopment program.
After facilitating multiple stories on the progress of the shiny new airport, construction officials thought it only fitting to give the media one last look at the facility which helped millions of people fly in and out of Salt Lake City over the past several decades.
The old parking garage is already nearly halfway down and the old terminals will soon meet the wrecking ball.
READ: Demolition begins at old Salt Lake City airport
“By the end of the first quarter of next year, terminal one and terminal two will be demolished,” Williams said. “Around the middle of next year, really all of the former airport will have been demolished and we will be just building new.”
While tearing things down, crews are also trying to salvage and repurpose anything and everything they can.
“So as they demolish the buildings they sort out all of the rebar and all of the things that can be recycled,” Williams said. “The concrete is mostly all crushed so everything that can be reused is reused.”
While the worldwide pandemic has had a devastating effect on air travel in general, it’s actually been a blessing in terms of this demolition.
READ: What to expect on your first visit to the new SLC Airport
Williams says the lack of air traffic coming in and out of Salt Lake is allowing them to do all this demolition in one fell swoop instead of in phases. That should allow for the new airport to be finished up to two years ahead of schedule and help the project come in $300 million under budget.