Projects

Commercial Case Studies

Federal Aviation Administration
Air Traffic Control Tower at LaGuardia Airport

Torcon was responsible for the construction of an Air Traffic Control Tower at LaGuardia International Airport. The project also included a two-story administrative base building and a one-story environmental support building. The administrative building houses sensitive FAA electronic equipment, monitoring and control systems equipment, office areas, and ancillary support spaces.

The project’s primary structure is a 336-foot tall, structural precast concrete tower with a supporting 25,000 square foot Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility.

There are three levels below the control cab, providing space for a breakroom, restrooms, shop, offices, electronic equipment, mechanical equipment, electrical equipment, and antennas. A penthouse on top of the cab houses ground control radar.

For security reasons the TRACON building is essentially a two-story building with the lower level completely underground. The underground floor is occupied by the radar operations room (TRACON) and associated electronic equipment rooms. The ground floor of the TRACON contains administrative offices, storage, air handlers, and the shipping and receiving area including a loading dock.

The site improvements include grading, drainage, utilities, ductbanks, paving, security fencing, security lights and cameras, guard booth and landscaping. Both the tower and base building have been wind tunnel tested and are designed to meet the latest security, seismic, and blast requirements. Key challenges of the project related directly to the restricted site, which is nestled among a complex of airport roads.

Torcon worked closely with the airport and various agencies throughout the project to ensure security , to mitigate any potential impact to airport operations, and to access LaGuardia’s communication, electrical, sanitary, storm and water infrastructure.