GCIA has seen some extensive investments since 2015
The Gary/Chicago International Airport marked a decade of growth Friday with a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of an $18.3 million air traffic control tower.
“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony represents the culmination of years of planning, collaboration and investment in the future of the Gary/Chicago International Airport,” said Dan Vicari, Executive Director of GCIA. “The new air traffic control tower will ensure GCIA remains a key economic engine for Northwest Indiana and the Chicago region for decades to come.”
A week earlier, the airport cut the ribbon on its 55-acre Air Cargo Campus.
The existing Air Traffic Control Tower was constructed in 1972 and no longer reflects the operational needs of a modern aviation facility. Planning for its replacement began in 2022 and advanced through FAA siting approval and design funding milestones in 2024 before receiving full federal construction funding earlier this year.
The new tower will be twice as tall as the current structure and feature modern technology designed to improve visibility, communications, operational efficiency and safety for air traffic controllers and aircraft operators.
Construction is expected to create approximately 120 skilled-trade jobs and require roughly 24,000 construction hours, with completion anticipated by late 2027.
GCIA has seen extensive growth since 2015, starting with the expansion of the airport’s main runway to nearly 9,000 feet, making it the second longest runway in the region after O’Hare International Airport.
Runway expansion has allowed the airport to service larger, heavier aircraft. GCIA opened its U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility in 2018, allowing air travelers from any international destination to frequent the airport without needing to clear customs elsewhere.
In 2020, GCIA began cargo service operations via UPS, who signed a long-term lease agreement. Cargo service operations have quickly scaled, and GCIA now ranks third in Indiana by air cargo volume, with further growth anticipated in coming years.
In late 2023, GCIA announced its acquisition of the Griffith-Merrillville Airport, making GCIA one of only three aviation “systems” in the State of Indiana.
In 2024, the airport reached several additional milestones, including unveiling its new website, breaking ground on a new $12 million, 47,000 square foot aviation hangar as well as breaking ground on the airport’s air cargo campus expansion that was completed in the summer of 2026.
In 2025, the airport continued advancing its long-term infrastructure strategy, with the announcement of the acquisition of a 4.7-acre parcel of land that will ultimately be utilized to support additional cargo services expansion, as well as the award of a $15 million contract to construct the airport’s new cargo and general aviation ramp.
As aviation continues to evolve, our infrastructure must evolve with it, Vicari said.