Suffolk Breaks Ground at Southwest Florida International Airport, Marking Significant Milestone in Phase II of Airport Expansion

Innovator in aviation construction is partnering with the Lee County Port Authority to transform the passenger experience at one of the top 50 airports in the United States for passenger traffic

FORT MYERS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Suffolk, one of the largest and most innovative real estate and construction enterprises in the country and Florida, recently celebrated the groundbreaking at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Concourse E, a significant milestone in the expansion of RSW, readying it for expected growth in passenger traffic in the next 10 years. Suffolk is well-known as an industry innovator, leveraging data and cutting-edge technologies that add real value to airport and transportation construction projects. The contractor’s operational excellence and commitment to innovation strengthens efficiency, safety and project outcomes, and will significantly enhance RSW’s infrastructure.

Suffolk’s outstanding reputation for client service and use of predictive analytics and dashboards are attractive to clients who seek a more seamless and predictable construction process.

“Our collaborative and transparent approach to the early planning and preconstruction of aviation projects helps to address and resolve any challenges well before construction begins,” said Pete Tuffo, President of Florida Gulf Coast and National Gaming for Suffolk. “Suffolk’s ability to successfully navigate complex projects and timelines without causing disruption to an airport’s ongoing operations is a testament to our meticulous planning and execution skills. Our unique approach helps to ensure airports remain fully functional and efficient throughout the entire construction process.”

RSW experienced a record-setting year in 2024, serving more than 11 million passengers in 12 months and recording the busiest December in the airport’s four decades of hospitality. This second phase of the expansion project will redefine the airport’s landscape, both functionally and aesthetically, adding a brand-new 14-gate Terminal E concourse that will allow for a potential 10,000 to 15,000 more passengers per day to travel through the airport and into the region. The project also includes airside improvements, terminal roadway modifications, passenger boarding bridges, and room for additional Terminal E gates in the future.

Suffolk is a national leader in managing the most sophisticated and complex aviation and transportation projects in the country, including Terminal C renovations and the electric central utility plant (eCup) at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and a design-build expansion and renovation to Airsides A and E at Tampa International Airport. Suffolk was recently awarded CMAA Project Excellence award for its extensive renovations and additions to the Boston Logan International Airport Terminal B to C Connector project and the CMAA Project Achievement award for preconstruction and construction management services for the Boston Logan International Airport Terminal E Modernization project.

A diverse portfolio of Suffolk projects in Southwest Florida also includes Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, Great Wolf Lodge Naples, Aura Naples, Ritz-Carlton Residences Naples, Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Hotel, and Southward Village and Riverdale High School, both in Fort Myers, among others.

About Suffolk

Suffolk is a national enterprise that builds, innovates, and invests. Suffolk is an end-to-end business that provides value throughout the entire project lifecycle by leveraging its core construction management services with vertical service lines that include real estate capital investment, design, self-perform construction services, technology start-up investment (Suffolk Technologies) and innovation research/development.

Suffolk – America’s Contractor – is a national company with more than $6 billion in annual revenue, 2,800 employees, and offices in Boston, Massachusetts (headquarters); New York City, New York; Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa and Estero in Florida; Dallas, Texas; Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in California; Portland, Maine; and Herndon, Virginia. Suffolk manages some of the most complex, sophisticated projects in the country, serving clients in every major industry sector, including healthcare, life sciences, education, gaming, transportation/aviation, federal government and public work, mission critical, advanced technology and commercial. Suffolk is privately held and is led by founder, chairman and CEO John Fish. Suffolk is ranked #8 on ENR’s list of “Largest Domestic Builders” and #8 on its list of “Top CM-at-Risk Contractors.” For more information, visit www.suffolk.com and follow Suffolk on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.