SFO Launches Harvey Milk Terminal One with Signage from Priority Architectural Graphics

Priority Architectural Graphics has been a longstanding partner working with SFO on the redevelopment and installation of signage at the airport over the past decade. In April 2020, SFO completed a major stage of the relaunch of the airport’s oldest terminal, Terminal 1, renaming it the Harvey B. Milk Terminal and honoring the Bay Area LGBTQ civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1978.  

Construction of the Terminal, which is expected to serve over 17 million visitors annually, is occurring in two stages with 18 gates opening in 2020, 7 more gates are scheduled to open in 2021 and final completion slated for Q4 2023. The new, $2.6 billion dollar 224-thousand square foot facility at SFO includes a revolutionary new design for the pre-security concourse and central concourse area and a new mezzanine boarding area for the terminal’s 25 gates. A photo tribute wall telling the story of Harvey Milk’s life, unparalleled in both size and impact, greets visitors and passengers entering the terminal.

SFO’s Terminal One rebuild includes a new Boarding Area B (with an Austin-Webcor joint venture as general contractor and a design team led by HKS-Woods Bagot-ED2-KYA joint venture architects) and Terminal 1 Center (with Hensel Phelps as general contractor and a design team led by Gensler-Kuth Ranieri joint venture architects). In order to facilitate cross-functional team coordination, SFO arranged for project teams to work together in a co-working space on the SFO campus known as the “Big Room,” with over 120 design and construction professionals situated together to deliver the program as a single team.

Priority Graphics was selected by Hensel Phelps to lead the installation of all signage in Terminal One Center including thousands of wayfinding signs to help guide visitors quickly and easily through the airport from curbside to check-in, security checkpoint to concession areas and on to their gates. Working closely with Hensel Phelps, Gensler and Kuth Ranieri, the team at Priority Graphics project managed all Terminal 1’s signage requirements and coordinated signage installation teams including those supplying electrical and steel support services.

Project Manager, Kevin Chen noted, “Our biggest challenge with the Terminal One project was the sheer magnitude of signage combined with the split-second timing requirements which are inherent with an airport project. With Terminal One, we’re especially proud of the initial rollout of Phase I, especially on the heels of our recent resigning of all the gates at SFO’s two international terminals which we completed in October. Terminal One, which will complete over all phases in 2023, is an impressive example of what our team at Priority excels at; detailed planning, flexible response to changes, impeccable attention to timelines, budgets and project coordination and communication. I really hope airport visitors are impressed with this historic achievement for SFO.”