Old airport terminal to be demolished, land leased to SEDA (Savannah: credit, motels)

[Airforceguy]

The Savannah Airport Commission on Wednesday voted to lease 24 acres of land to the Savannah Economic Development Authority, which will pave the way for a new aerospace development. Each acre will be leased for $8,000 per year under the agreement.The development also includes plans to demolish the greater part of the old airport terminal building that opened in 1964 and served as the airport’s home until the current terminal building opened in 1994.

Old airport terminal to be demolished, land leased to SEDA | SavannahNow

[WanderingImport]

I don't even think I've ever seen the old terminal. Don't know where it's at or what it looks like.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

I don't even think I've ever seen the old terminal. Don't know where it's at or what it looks like.

Me neither, but it sounds like a good plan. Whomever runs the airport does a beautiful job, so they probably know what they’re doing.

[lbbryantjr]

I believe this is the old airport building. It not that far from the new airport and Travis Field/GA Air National Guard.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/13...!4d-81.1956801

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

I don't even think I've ever seen the old terminal. Don't know where it's at or what it looks like.

Originally Posted by gentlearts

Me neither, but it sounds like a good plan. Whomever runs the airport does a beautiful job, so they probably know what they’re doing.

This is it. You can tell by the big surface parking lot out front. It’s off Dean Forrest Road back in there where all the Air National Guard and Gulfstream hangars are. There’s still a couple of motels over there (Days Inn) leftover from when the terminal was on the east side of the runways.

I flew out of there a couple of times. The place was tiny — basically a low slung one-story ticketing and baggage claim facility up front with I think three gates at most in the back. When they built the new terminal, everything moved to the I-95 side of the airport property, including the access road and exit off the interstate. At the time Pooler Parkway didn’t exist. When you exited for the airport you could only go one direction — toward the terminal. Everything west of I-95 was just pine trees and swamp. That was 23 years ago.

[Newsboy]

As you can imagine, the opening of that new terminal was a HUGE deal for Savannah back then and it’s had a hugely positive impact on the region. As I’ve stated before, expanding the airport was one of the smartest things Savannah leaders have ever done and I don’t think proper credit is given.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

As you can imagine, the opening of that new terminal was a HUGE deal for Savannah back then and it’s had a hugely positive impact on the region. As I’ve stated before, expanding the airport was one of the smartest things Savannah leaders have ever done and I don’t think proper credit is given.

So, that’s one thing they did right.

[Newsboy]

Really ugly building ... but I guess it served its purpose

[ajc100890]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

Really ugly building ... but I guess it served its purpose

I hadn’t been in this building since ‘94. I vaguely remembered a series of ramps to the back and everything was shades of beige and brown. There were no concessions or stores. It was bare bones.

Savannah really fast forwarded 40 years when we got the new terminal.

Earlier this week, I actually went back to the old terminal for the first time in 23 years to fly via private jet out of Signature Aviation. Talk about a blast from the past. It was a huge timewharp.

[WanderingImport]

My first flight was out of the new terminal about a year or so after it opened. I never knew the old one, but I sure as heck remember that I-95 exit. I remember that barrier on the west side of that exit. There was a dirt road maybe? If that. It was pine trees as far as you could see.