LauderBlog
May 15: FLL Hidden Treasures
Posted On: May 15, 2007 7:04 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
On my daily rounds around the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airport, I always stop by the Southwest ticket counter near Concourse B to marvel at Guy Harvey’s 60 ft tall mural. Called the “Sunken Treasure”, it took 2 years to construct and depicts off shore marine life and the city skyline. Passengers going down the escalator to the security check point always comment on it.
After Terminal 1, I usually stroll through Terminal 3 which features the Las Olas/Hollywood Boulevard Streetscape. This project is a beautiful combination of storefronts that feature the wares of restaurants and businesses located on Las Olas Blvd. and Downtown Hollywood. It brings the outside, in. If it’s lunch time, Chili’s is right there, and I sometimes grab a “Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger” to take back to the office.
We do a lot of tours at the airport, and I always bring the group to the new Rental Car Center located in the bottom half of the Cypress Garage. It looks more like an art museum than a rental car building. The three levels of beautiful terrazzo floors feature numerous marine creatures and several entrance vestibules, called ‘Luminous Portals,” that change color as you enter and exit the building. The glass walls and spiral staircase enhance the magical feeling.
From the Rental Car Center, I take tour groups up in the elevator to the roof of the Cypress Garage. This is one of the highest structures at the airport and you can see for miles. You can see cruise ships at Port Everglades and you can see the downtown skyline. You can see runways, taxiways, and airplanes taking off and landing.
Up on the roof, you get a sense of the history of the airport. Where we were and the vision it took to get us where we are. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport traces its beginning back to 1928 when the airfield was created to honor the memory of pioneer Fort Lauderdale aviator, Merle Fogg. The airport turns 79 this year, but the old gal looks better than ever. Merle would be proud.
In the past few years, she has gotten quite a facelift. The latest terminal addition, Terminal 1, is truly amazing.
The feeling is always the same whenever I walk around the terminals and it never ceases to amaze me. I’m really proud of our airport.
-Steve Belleme, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
After Terminal 1, I usually stroll through Terminal 3 which features the Las Olas/Hollywood Boulevard Streetscape. This project is a beautiful combination of storefronts that feature the wares of restaurants and businesses located on Las Olas Blvd. and Downtown Hollywood. It brings the outside, in. If it’s lunch time, Chili’s is right there, and I sometimes grab a “Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger” to take back to the office.
We do a lot of tours at the airport, and I always bring the group to the new Rental Car Center located in the bottom half of the Cypress Garage. It looks more like an art museum than a rental car building. The three levels of beautiful terrazzo floors feature numerous marine creatures and several entrance vestibules, called ‘Luminous Portals,” that change color as you enter and exit the building. The glass walls and spiral staircase enhance the magical feeling.
From the Rental Car Center, I take tour groups up in the elevator to the roof of the Cypress Garage. This is one of the highest structures at the airport and you can see for miles. You can see cruise ships at Port Everglades and you can see the downtown skyline. You can see runways, taxiways, and airplanes taking off and landing.
Up on the roof, you get a sense of the history of the airport. Where we were and the vision it took to get us where we are. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport traces its beginning back to 1928 when the airfield was created to honor the memory of pioneer Fort Lauderdale aviator, Merle Fogg. The airport turns 79 this year, but the old gal looks better than ever. Merle would be proud.
In the past few years, she has gotten quite a facelift. The latest terminal addition, Terminal 1, is truly amazing.
The feeling is always the same whenever I walk around the terminals and it never ceases to amaze me. I’m really proud of our airport.
-Steve Belleme, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
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