Airport renovation centered on distilling theme

The Louisville Regional Airport Authority wants visitors from near and far to know they're in Louisville the minute they step into the Jerry E. Abramson Terminal.

So as part of an $8 million renovation of the building, the authority has selected a design theme that will speak to Louisville's overall character: craft and distilling.

"The feeling was that we needed to have something that expressed the community with a stronger statement, have a stronger presence of who we are as Louisville, Ky.," said RAA Executive Director Miller. "... You'll know you're here when you arrive here. You won't think you're in Key West when you come to Louisville."

The airport authority, which owns and operates Louisville International Airport and Bowman Field, selected the theme last week with guidance from Minneapolis-based Alliiance Consulting and members of a community work group, Miller said. While the words craft and distilling immediately bring to mind one major Kentucky industry — bourbon — Miller said the theme actually hits on multiple facets of the city, from its connectivity to its manufacturing heritage.

Officially, the theme has two parts: "distilling great experiences" and "setting a higher standard," with each highlighting different parts of the city, Miller said. For instance, distilling great experiences speaks to Louisville's tourism, hospitality and charm, while setting a higher standard celebrates the high-quality of the local arts, food and manufacturing industries.

Alliiance, hired in January, will now incorporate the theme into designs for the renovation, which is the terminal's first major makeover in a decade. In 2003-04, improvements were made in jet-arrival gates, security-checking and airline ticketing areas, as well as the installation of some new flooring and lighting throughout the terminal.

The coming upgrades will also include lighting and flooring, as well as new escalators and artwork, such as wall murals. Designs should be completed by September, and work should begin after the first of the year, Miller said.

"We're very excited about this," he added. "We think it's a great opportunity for the community to express itself and really put out a great, welcoming doormat for the community."

Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at (502) 582-4646. Follow her on Twitter at @bloosemore.