Chicago O’Hare International Airport is expanding its cargo capacity with a new state-of-the-art cargo center. This will strengthen the airport’s ability to handle large volumes of freight and will also provide economic growth for the city of Chicago. Take a look at why the project is happening and learn how Chicago and the surrounding region will benefit from the expansion.
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Situation: Build the NorthEast Cargo Center to Expand Air Cargo Capacity
The Department of Aviation, O’Hare International Airport, and Aeroterm are working in collaboration on the new Northeast Cargo Center at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The project was funded by $62 million in airport funds and an investment of $160 million from Aeroterm.
Construction on the cargo center began near the end of 2013 on 65 acres of undeveloped land owned by the airport. The project will take place in three phases. Once completed, the facility will have 915,000 square feet of warehousing space, apron pavement, and a taxi lane for large freight aircraft. It will also feature truck docks, an expanded fuel farm facility, and a cargo access road.
Erin Gruver, Chief Development Officer for Aeroterm, said, “We are proud to serve as the developer of this exciting and high profile cargo infrastructure project, which enhances O’Hare International’s air cargo sector with improved cargo processing efficiency. This project is the result of an unrivaled collaboration between Aeroterm, the Chicago Department of Aviation, and the O’Hare air cargo community.
Approach: Position Chicago for Air Cargo Success
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that Chicago hasn’t been pulling its weight in terms of air cargo. The O’Hare expansion will change that. Mayor Emanuel said, “Chicago is only fifth in the United States and seventh worldwide when it comes to how much cargo we transport, and I think it’s been underperforming as it relates to what its capacity is. This investment, and the jobs that come with it, will allow Chicago to actually fight in its weight class in terms of what we can do with economic growth.”
The new cargo center does not change the current volume of air cargo at O’Hare, but it does improve the airport’s efficiency. With time, however, the airport will be able to support more volume. Airlines and cargo organizations will be about to sublease facilities at the cargo center. Total Airport Services and Alliance Ground International are already tenants at the new center.
Impact and Advantage
O’Hare airport estimates that the cargo center will create 1,200 new full-time jobs. In addition to that, more than 10,000 more jobs could be added throughout the region because of increased cargo volume and capacity. That’s good news for the city of Chicago and the surrounding area. The airport expansion will bring an estimated $600 million in economic benefits.
The first phase of the expansion project is already complete, and Chicago has already started to see economic growth. If progress continues at the same rate, things will only continue to improve as the project reaches completion.[/show_to]
