In April 2011, an EF4 tornado tore through Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, blowing out historic arched windows in Terminal 1, ripping the Concourse C roof and causing extensive damage to concessions and gate areas.

KWAME was the construction manager on Lambert’s $70 million Airport Experience renovation project when the tornado struck. KWAME played a key role in the emergency response, helping the airport return to full capacity within just 30 hours.

Within a year, the iconic arched windows were replaced with 300 panes of laminated glass in frames modified to bring them into compliance with current guidelines. The roof, windows and repair work on concession areas in Concourse C also were complete. Heating, ventilation and other building systems were extensively renovated to improve passenger comfort and reduce operational costs.

KWAME provided construction management services during the tornado emergency and throughout the restoration process, while also continuing work on the Airport Experience renovation project.