Like an aging Hollywood diva attempting to attract new roles, Los Angeles International Airport is getting a $1.5-billion makeover in order to better appeal to airlines and customers. A gleaming 1.3-million-sq-ft addition to the Tom Bradley International Terminal, dubbed Bradley West, headlines the city's largest public-works project.
“This is an effort not to grow the existing airport but to grow the quality of service,” says Michael Doucette, chief planner with the airport operator Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). The Bradley West project will replace more than half of the 27-year-old existing terminal, including the north and south concourses, but will retain the core building while expanding west.