Southwest Airlines Celebrates Construction Milestone
Southwest Airlines officials marked the topping-off of its new six-story, 425,000 square-foot, Love Field office building last Thursday. More than 750 people attended a celebration, that included company executives and representatives from lead construction company McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., as well as 36 subcontractor teams, project architects, and engineers.
The building is part of a Southwest’s new “Wings” project, which includes new office space and a Leadership Education and Aircraft Development (LEAD) Center with the capacity to house up to 18 flight simulators.
These flight simulators will train pilots on existing and new aircraft. The LEAD Center, which is built with a hardened structure designed to withstand the forces of an F4 Tornado, is scheduled to open this summer. The first flight simulator was installed during the week of May 15.
“We’re excited about this new facility on our corporate campus and proud to make this investment in our people and in the Dallas community,” Southwest Airlines senior director of corporate facilities John Zuzu said.
Other project features include a 1,950-space parking garage and a 400-foot-long elevated pedestrian safety bridge. Construction began last May, and is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2018.
“We are committed to delivering on our promise to complete the project on or ahead of schedule and within budget for Southwest Airlines,” McCarthy project executive Dan Cummings said. “Our team has worked diligently in getting this building ready for the pilots and technicians.”
