LAX's Midfield Satellite Concourse South Reaches Milestone

In October, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) turned a significant corner in constructing the Midfield Satellite Concourse South (MSC) project by relocating all nine segments of the building to their permanent positions within the LAX airfield.

"LAX’s modernization applies to more than just the projects we build; it includes taking on bold and modern construction methods like Offsite Construction and Relocation that will enable us to deliver incredible facilities like MSC South, while saving time and money, and allowing us to create jobs for our local workforce,” said Michael Christensen, LAWA’s chief airport development officer, in a statement. “The partnership and collaboration between LAWA, W.E. O’Neil, and the entire project team is what brought us to this milestone, and I look forward to the project’s final completion next year. Together, we are setting a new standard for innovation in airport infrastructure."

The construction method, similar to prefabricated modular construction often used in new apartment buildings, involved assembling the individual MSC South segments north of the LAX northern runways before moving them into position. Each segment's relocation began around midnight, traveling approximately 1.75 miles on self-propelled modular transporters provided by Mammoet.

This offsite construction approach not only accelerated the project timeline but also minimized disruptions to airport operations. Additionally, it allowed for many interior elements to be pre-installed before the segments made their late-night journey across the airport.

Designed by Woods Bagot, the nearly $421-million concourse features an L-shaped layout that connects to the recently completed West Gates passenger concourse on its second floor. Passengers will descend via a ramp into the MSC South structure, where they will be welcomed by a concessions area.

Spanning approximately 150,000 square feet, the concourse will house eight gates designed for narrow-body aircraft. It is on track for completion in late 2025 and is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification.

Read full story on Urbanize LA