Modular Building Info

Preassembled and Modular Structures Provide Improved Parking Control in Atlanta
Hartsfield International Airport benefits from building retrofit provided by Porta-King at significant savings

May 21, 2008: ST. LOUIS, MO – For decades, Porta-King has supplied and prefabricated anodized aluminum buildings to the largest international airports in the United States. Recently, Porta-King completed a significant project at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, GA to retrofit parking facilities as a part of a new revenue control program.

Some two years ago, airport officials purchased prefabricated buildings from Porta-King. Based on the airport’s new approach to parking revenue control, airport officials either needed to replace or retrofit 16 buildings in order to upgrade and install special electronic housing. Thanks to Porta-King’s pre-fab construction, they were able to remove the original structures from the airport premise and ship the units to St. Louis for off-site retrofitting in order to upgrade and comply with the airport’s current methodology and framework.

According to Gregg Pearlstone, Porta-King vice president, preassembled and modular structures have become pivotal parts of these redesign efforts, and remain in the forefront as airports continue to review plans for long-term expansion and remodeling design. The biggest reason is simple — versatility.

“Traditional construction is centered on creating something permanent that will be fixed in one orientation, in one location until it is torn down,” Pearlstone said. “Modular and pre-assembled buildings are attractive to airports because they can be moved as their use or the design footprint of the airport changes.”

In the case of Hartsfield International, Pearlstone indicated that Porta-King was able to retrofit parking cashier buildings at a savings of $150,000-$200,000. “In addition,” he said, “we shipped four buildings that could be used on campus for mobile security posts. Plus, we designed an interior garage office that is currently being used for valet parking, along with a taxi starter booth used by management staff governing taxi cab drivers in queue at the terminal site.

Pearlstone’s company Porta-King is one of the nation’s leading providers of prefabricated building solutions for airports. The company has also managed building solutions for international airports like O’Hare in Chicago and JFK in New York, as well as smaller regional airports nationwide.

Porta-King’s airport projects have resulted in the implementation of a variety of their prefabricated building products. These structures are used for a wide range of applications including: parking revenue control, security, airport shuttle shelters, outdoor smoking shelters, rental car agency offices, garage offices, baggage screening shelters, pay and display shelters, ticket kiosks and office partitions.

“For good reason, airport managers have placed the safety of passengers, personnel and equipment at the top of their priority list,” Pearlstone said. “And they’ve identified products like ours as both an immediate and long-term solution for providing the necessary protection and flexibility required in today’s airport environment.”

Porta-King has been a leader in providing modular solutions for airports and other industries since 1969. In addition to prefabricated buildings and shelters, Porta-King manufactures custom-designed shelters, a full line of modular wall systems and enclosures and structural mezzanines. Porta-King buildings provide shelter and storage solutions for virtually any working environment. For more information, visit the company online at www.portaking.com or call 800-284-5346.

St. Louis based modular building manufacturer Porta-King has introduced a new line of pay shelters to keep parking patrons dry and keep automated machines up and running through bad weather. The rise in popularity of automated parking cashiers continues to change the landscape of the parking industry and is fueling a surge in pay shelter demand. Since most machines require patrons to exit their vehicle in order to pay, parking facility managers are seeing the importance of keeping customers comfortable, especially in inclement weather.

Parking industry professionals recognize that customers usually have a choice when choosing a place to park. This new line of shelters represents one of the changes managers are adopting to make their option more attractive. Rainy weather presents even more problems than patron comfort. When customers don’t have shelter, their money has the potential to get wet between the billfold and the machine. Wet bills can cause serious mechanical problems with the attendant machines.

In addition to protection from the elements, parking patrons also enjoy the safety of visibility with Porta-King shelters. Units can be equipped with conventionally wired or solar powered lighting systems. Dusk to dawn lighting is also available and exterior lights can be added for improved visibility. Standard tempered glass windows in all walls allow light into the shelter while providing better visibility for patrons while making transactions. This gives customer’s a view of the inside and outside of the shelter at all times.

The company’s new line of pay shelters is ideal for a variety of applications, including airports, universities, municipalities and all pre-pay parking facilities. Many credit the superior aesthetics of the shelters as a key characteristic in their versatility. The shelters are constructed of a 2” x 2” x 11-gauge welded steel tubing, and feature tempered safety glass, with the option of acrylic and tinted glazing. The buildings can be equipped with heat for added customer comfort. All Porta-King buildings ship fully assembled and completely pre-wired.

Porta-King has been a leader in custom-designed shelters since 1969. In addition to exterior shelters, Porta-King manufactures pre-fabricated buildings, a full line of modular wall systems and enclosures and structural mezzanines. Porta-King buildings provide shelter and storage solutions for virtually any working environment. For more information, visit www.portaking.com or call 800-284-5346.