The $636 million program to build a consolidated rental car facility connects to the airports’ main Terminal via an elevated automated people mover system and a separate (4) four lane road.  This allows land currently occupied by the agencies to be freed up for future expansion, improvements and other uses.  This relieves the curbside and Central Passenger Terminal Complex of the tremendous vehicular traffic circulation and combustion exhaust attributed to their buses.  With the elimination of their buses, H-JAIA satisfies requirements as stipulated by the Federal Aviation Agency to satisfy Environmental Protection Agency regulations.  The 70 acre site is part of 90 acres dedicated to Airport uses and is located 1.5 miles west of the Terminal.  The people mover system has an intermediate stop at the newly constructed Georgia International Convention Center owned by the City of College Park.  With agreement, this station offers travelers a direct connection to the Airport and the rental complex. H-JAIA is the World’s Busiest Airport with a rental car market that is the fourth largest in the country.  2.2 million passengers annually rent vehicles today, a volume that is expected to double in just 10 years.  The facility of parking structures, customer service center and satellite quick turn-around operation centers will streamline the rental car process and ease environmental pollution.

APM System
The APM system is a $208 million design-build contract. It includes design and construction of the automated people-mover guideway; a 1.3-acre maintenance and storage facility; the Gateway Station at the Georgia International Convention Center that is located between the airport and the CONRAC; and the Central Passenger Terminal Complex Station at the Terminal.  The guideway is elevated 80 feet above the intervening I-85 highway, uses six, two-car trains that is operated by an automated control systems located in the maintenance facility.   

Rental Agency Complex
Under a separate contract, the $255 million Consolidated Rental Car facility includes a four-story, 140,000 square foot customer service center. The people mover station; seven quick turn-around areas with 58 fuel pumps, 19 wash bays and space for light maintenance; two four-story parking decks with 2.4 million square feet for 8,700 cars; and bridges linking the customer service center with the parking decks. The fourth floor of the customer service center is approximately 4.5 feet above the track. Arriving customers will disembark the train cars to enter that building at that top level. Rental car counters will occupy the second and third floors and buses to transport people to offsite locations will be located on the ground floor.  Returning customers will enter via bridges from the garages.  Mechanical, support and office areas for the Department of Aviation are also located on the first level.  Glass, brick and metal panels clad the exterior capped with a sloped roof offering dramatic views to Atlanta’s skyline.  Nine structural-steel bridges with concrete metal decking connect the customer service center to the two parking garages, which are dedicated to returning cars and holding ready cars. An auger-pile foundation supports the parking decks.

Program and Design Management: David Perkins, AIA
Services performed as employed by other firm