- By Dan Veaner
- Around Town
Print 
Governor Mario Cuomo came to the Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport a year ago May to announce the State was contributing $14.25 million to greatly expand the terminal. He was back the following October for a ground breaking ceremony. And while travelers this week may not believe it, when Cuomo returns in approximately a week and a half the airport will be substantially done, with all major construction completed and only a punch-list of little things to be completed. And, with the completion of a customs facility, Cuomo will be making his first visit to the Ithaca-Tompkins International Airport.
The Lansing Star will be closed for a couple of weeks, so Airport Manager Mike Hall graciously arranged an early tour so you can get a glimpse of what is to come a few weeks from now. Hall says it will be finished and cleaned up so when the Governor arrives he will see the realization of what was only a dream a year and a half ago.
A rendering shows a large, translucent canopy in front of the terminal
The metal framework is complete, and Monday afternoon about half of the canopy fabric had been installed.
To the left of the main entrance an International Garden is being installed.
An area to the right as you enter the main lobby is a temporary lounge area. When the airport opens this space will be a play area for travelling children.
Bob Hope quipped, "I love flying. I've been to almost as many places as my luggage." Here is where your baggage travels when you drop it off. By the time this is published American Airlines will have installed their sign.
A new baggage belt has been installed behind the new check-in desks.
Your luggage is carried on the belt to the wall to the new TSA screening room. When the TSA screening area was in front with the check-in counters, passengers had to check their bags in at the airline desk, then bring them to the TSA area. Checking bags is now a one-stop operation for passengers.
Once the bags clear screening, they continue into a large area where they can be loaded onto baggage tugs that will take them to your plane. Hall says in the very near future electric-powered tugs will replace the gasoline-powered ones currently in use. 
If you are arriving the baggage tugs bring your bags into an area where they are placed on a belt.
The bags arrive into the baggage pickup area, which is possibly the least changed part of the airport.
New offices for airline employees are behind the check-in counters.
Three locker rooms for employees are farther back, behind the offices
The kitchen for the new cafe is almost ready.
A brand new large conference room is being added to suppliment the smaller, existing conference room.
This nook, just to the right of the security line will be a military service members lounge
This rendering of the main lobby area shows a new look for what is the hub of the terminal
It is almost completed. Signs will be installed along the dark wooden rail shortly.
The expanded security check-in is already in use
While two of the old gates were designed for jet-bridges, only one of them actually had one. That one has been refurbished and installed in the new concourse, plus three more have been installed -- two brand new and another refurbished one. 
Passengers in what is left of the old gate area can peek through glass to watch progress on the new concourse.
This rendering shows the entry ramp to the gates
A ramp leads from the security check-in to the gate area. A large window at the end affords a view of the air field. The gates are on either side of the ramp, which terminates at an attractive service desk.
This rendering shows the gate area
The gates are almost completed.
Workmen are installing the flooring at one of the gates.
A rendering of the new customs building
The customs building (right) will look like that rendering by the time the Governor gets here.