The facility is SFO's only hangar capable of housing four Aircraft Design Group V (ADG-V) wide-body aircraft simultaneously, and one of a handful in the nation. Upgrading this aviation icon can be unpredictable, but doing it while keeping a 24/7 high-security facility open for global airline fleets makes the job even tougher.

The project is in the initial programming and design phase, where team members are currently conducting early site investigations and risk mapping. Because of the progressive design-build framework, exact calendar dates for the groundbreaking and final completion will be established once preliminary designs and sequencing plans are locked in. However, the timeline for the contract is structured to span 1,095 consecutive calendar days from the official Notice to Proceed.

"SFO selected progressive design-build because of the complexity and uncertainty associated with renovating a large-scale, older facility while it remains operational," says Doug Yakel, an SFO spokesperson. "With a facility of this age and scale, understanding existing conditions and how they affect the design, construction approach, cost and schedule will be a critical part of the project."

Dumaran said implementing PDB at SFO is not just a procurement method but a risk-reduction strategy.

“SFO’s use of progressive design-build reflects the airport’s broader commitment to Exceptional Project Outcomes 2.0, an integrated delivery mindset centered on early collaboration, stakeholder alignment, transparent decision-making and disciplined risk management,” said Dumaran. “Rather than advancing design in isolation and transferring uncertainty downstream, SFO’s approach brings the owner, designer, builder, trade partners and key stakeholders into the same problem-solving environment early enough to influence scope, means and methods, cost, schedule and operational continuity before final commercial terms are locked in.”

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He said that for a 1969 hangar, this distinction is critical because existing structural conditions are often only partially documented, and legacy buildings can conceal unknowns in the original framing, foundations, lateral systems, connections, roof structure, utilities, hazardous materials interfaces and prior undocumented modifications.

“The value of having the project delivery partner at the table earlier is that the team can actively help shape the design around what is actually buildable in an operating airport environment,” said Dumaran. “Early collaboration enables the design team to test multiple structural intervention strategies, compare retrofit options, evaluate temporary works, assess phasing constraints and understand how each decision affects cost, schedule, safety and airport operations. This is especially important for an aging hangar where structural capacity, code compliance, seismic performance and operational requirements must be balanced against existing conditions that may not be fully visible at the outset.”

Because the hangar serves as a continuous maintenance lifeline, design must accommodate zero-tolerance operational constraints. rews can execute facility upgrades directly around active, ongoing airline schedules without disrupting taxiways or airfield traffic. While the HCI/InnoActive JV directly leads design management, STV will provide assistance to ensure crews can execute facility upgrades directly around active, ongoing airline schedules without disrupting taxiways or airfield traffic. This requires careful coordination as companies, such as American Airlines and United Airlines, continue performing important maintenance checks around the clock.  

"Maintaining the Superbay Hangar's operational capability is one of the project's fundamental requirements," says Yakel. "For that reason, operational planning and construction phasing will be a critical focus throughout the project."

To pull this off, the project team has to build a tight schedule that keeps planes moving over the course of the multi-year project.

"As programming and design progress, the Design-Builder will coordinate closely with SFO, the airline tenants, Airport Operations and other stakeholders to develop and sequence construction activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to ongoing operations," says Yakel.

The project also has to fit into SFO’s long-term plan to reach net-zero carbon operations across the entire airport. Instead of tearing down the old hangar, SFO wants to upgrade the building's energy systems and switch it over to full electric power.

"Given the age of the facility, this project offers a significant opportunity to improve the energy performance through electrification," says Yakel. "Such opportunities will be investigated extensively during programming and design. The project team will evaluate strategies for improving the performance of the existing facility while considering constructability, operational requirements, lifecycle value and SFO's broader long-term sustainability objectives.”