World’s Largest Car Rental Facility Being Built At LAX
Massive complex worth $2 billion will service major industry players
As significant proof that the car rental industry is still growing, especially when it comes to booking a vehicle at an airport, one major hub is stepping in by creating a massive accommodation. Officials at Los Angeles International Airport have announced plans to build what they declare as “the largest car-rental facility in human history.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti officially kicked off the construction of a complex estimated at being worth $2 billion at a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday. Scheduled for completion by 2023, the building, dubbed the Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility (or ConRAC for short) will be home to all major players of the car rental industry.
“We are building the world-class airport travelers need and deserve, and the Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility groundbreaking demonstrates how we’re keeping this promise,” said Garcetti during the ceremony. “We are making an investment that will improve the traveling experience, reduce congestion in surrounding neighborhoods and create middle-class careers for years to come.”
ConRAC will be massive, boasting a square footage of 5.3 million feet. It’s also seen as a convenient way to allocate the roughly 20 rental car offices scattered throughout LAX into one convenient location. Its proximity to L.A.’s 405 Freeway also promises easy access to and from the airport.
Uniting all the car rental players under one roof is also designed to cut down traffic within the entire LAX infrastructure, which currently endures roughly 3,200 daily shuttle trips. Replacing those shuttles will be an automated passenger train to reduce the congestion of foot and vehicular movement, especially in the LAX Central Terminal Area.
Officials say that ConRAC will also include some 18,000 parking stalls, including 10,000 for idle vehicles, 200 to accommodate electric vehicle chargers and 6,600 for ready-and-return cars being booked by car rental customers. The rest of the space will be dedicated to Quick Turn Around facilities for fueling, maintenance and other upkeep tasks.
The complex is also designed to be self-sustaining, with drought tolerant landscaping, water reclamation technology and even solar power stations capable of generating up to 8,400 megawatt hours of energy annually. This will certainly play a factor with facilities in California having to convert to zero emissions by 2035.
“We are future-proofing everything we build at LAX,” said Deborah Watt, Chief Executive Officer at Los Angeles World Airports. “Every project under construction or on the drawing board will meet our needs now and be capable of adapting to new technology and demands.”
ConRAC is part of an overall LAX improvement package that was granted in 2009 and worth $14 billion. Construction of the facility will apparently create more than 1,000 jobs.