"JetBlue CEO floored by Virginia airport's terrazzo touches"

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Column
JetBlue CEO floored by airport's terrazzo touches
BY CHIP JONES
The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch


In June 2003, David Neeleman, chief executive officer of JetBlue Airways,
stopped by Richmond International Airport for a tour.

He was visiting Gov. Mark R. Warner, who has been schmoozing the airport
executive to bring the low-fare carrier here.

"Nice floors," Neeleman said, according to airport officials.

The airline chief's remark was recalled last week when the air port
commission received an award from the National Terrazzo & Mosaic
Association.

The airport's architectural firm, Gresham Smith and Partners, was presented
the award, which noted that the airport has 22,000 square feet of epoxy
terrazzo flooring.

The award praised Gresham Smith for "achieving the goal of creating a crisp,
clean and timeless flooring design with easy maintenance over a large area."

Airport floors take a pounding from passengers, luggage and baggage carts.
The award notes that epoxy terrazzo is the material of choice "to achieve a
highly durable, low maintenance" flooring.

The new floor has three shades of gray with brick red and navy blue accents
-- a color scheme praised for drawing "from the vernacular colors of the
region."

That is, Richmond and central Virginia are "rich with red brick and stone
structures and . . . natural waterways from the James River to the
Chesapeake Bay."

Who knew a floor could hold such meaning?


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************