Old Lafayette Airport Terminal Begins to Meet Its End

The next step in improvements at the Lafayette Regional Airport began today as contractors brought in the big guns.

The initial 150 acres that served as the Lafayette Airport were purchased in 1929 (for only $22,500!). The airport has blossomed into a sprawling 225-acre facility, and another piece of its history is soon to be gone.

Over the past few months, since the new LFT terminal has gone into operation, steps have been taken to ready the old terminal for razing.

Demolition of the old LFT terminal has started. It will make room for additional green space and employee parking. The New LFT Terminal, which opened in January, will be able to utilize the area for future expansion. pic.twitter.com/UR91LQD0XM

— Lafayette Regional Airport (@LFTAirport) July 25, 2022

The Lafayette Regional Airport Twitter feed added a photo of an excavator beginning to demolish the old terminal.

According to the history of the Lafayette Regional Airport, which was originally called the Lafayette Municipal Airport, its first “customer” landed in 1930, officially kicking off the airport’s service.

Ian Auzenne writes that the plot of land on which the current airport sits wasn’t the only property being considered as the home of the airport.

If the city’s trustees had selected any of the other options, the landscape of Lafayette as we know it today would have been different. Among the other options city leaders considered:

• The property across the street from the present-day Moncus Park where the Winwood Shopping Center, several other businesses, and a neighborhood are located.

• A plot of land near the present-day Carencro High School.

• A plot of land near the present-day intersection I-10/University Avenue interchange.

• A plot of land near the present-day David Thibodaux STEM Academy and Acadiana Park.

• Three plots of land near the present-day Lafayette Middle School, including one located near where the Cajundome stands today.

• A plot of land on today’s Northside near what is now the Truman Addition. – History of LFT, Ian Auzenne

According to the story, the first terminal building at the Lafayette airport was constructed in 1940. Within 20 years, that first terminal was getting smaller and smaller as more and more people were taking to the skies. The second terminal was built and operating by 1960.

Has Lafayette always had poor foresight? It appears so: that new, larger facility only operated for 10 or so years before it, too, needed replacing. The newest “old” terminal building was completed in 1967.

May's passenger counts at Lafayette Regional Airport were the highest reported for the month in at least the last 10 years. https://t.co/AP504yT4mt

— Acadiana Advocate (@theadvocateaca) July 7, 2022

Today, the newest “old” terminal took its first hit from an excavator during its demolition.

Demolition of the old LFT terminal has started. It will make room for additional green space and employee parking. The New LFT Terminal, which opened in January, will be able to utilize the area for future expansion. pic.twitter.com/UR91LQD0XM

— Lafayette Regional Airport (@LFTAirport) July 25, 2022

According to the post, once the terminal is razed, the land will serve as green space and a parking area for LFT employees.

I had the opportunity to fly out of LFT’s newest, largest, and most technically-advanced terminal ever this past week and my experience was a positive one.

Let’s hope that air travel in and out of Lafayette grows enough to make the new terminal swell at the seams!