Gainesville Regional Airport solved a good problem on Wednesday by cutting the ribbon on its new 418-space parking garage after years of planning and millions in grant funding.
In 2024, the airport flew more than 578,000 passengers to break its traffic record from five years prior. The increased volume resulted in a packed parking lot, with the airport often needing to open up overflow lots.
The ribbon cutting served as a soft opening for the parking garage, and attendees pulled their vehicles into the new ground-floor spaces. Some final touches remain, but Allan Penksa, CEO of the airport, said the garage should open to the public in the next week.
Penksa said the airport is in a continuous state of improvement and has plenty of infrastructure projects still in the works. But many of them go unnoticed by passengers, like a new baggage handling system installed earlier this year.
Kinnon Thomas, chair of the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority that oversees the airport, said the airport was lucky to have the overflow lots it relied on so heavily in the past few years.
“I’m proud to say that this project is a milestone in our board’s continuing efforts to provide first-class airport service and accommodate continuing growth, which can be a little tricky,” Thomas said.
Besides increased capacity, Thomas said the new parking garage also improves safety and comfort. A covered walkway connects the garage to the terminal and allows passengers to avoid crossing vehicle traffic. Plus, protection from the elements for vehicles.
Thomas highlighted two other upcoming projects: improved airfield taxiways and a new general aviation terminal.
Gainesville Regional Airport will keep its current parking lot unchanged, and visitors can choose between it and the garage. The parking fee for the garage will be slightly higher than for the surface parking lot.
The parking garage cost $13 million to complete. The state of Florida provided $5.5 million in support, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave a $1.7 million grant for the project.
Mayor Harvey Ward said passengers will get an enhanced experience because all the partners worked together to take the next step for the region.
“If we are a city and region that is serious about economic development, you have to be serious about air travel,” Ward said. “We don’t want people to take a two- or three-hour drive to get on an airplane. We want people to take a 15-minute drive and be able to easily get on a plane that will take you anywhere in the world.”
Ward added that the best way to get more direct flights from Gainesville is by using the Gainesville Regional Airport whenever possible. The city of Gainesville recently amended its travel policy and requires staff to use the airport whenever possible on work trips.
Ward said if all the flights out of Gainesville are full, Penksa and his staff will make sure more flights get added by airlines.
Until the next major project comes along, Ward said passengers will be able to use the “flashy new parking garage” and see the investments being spent at the airport.
“I don’t think you get to use the phrase ‘flashy parking garage’ very often, but that’s what we got here for now,” Ward said.
