O’Hare Concourse D celebrates start of vertical construction

Mayor Brandon Johnson recently joined the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and construction partners to celebrate the start of vertical construction on The New Concourse D at O’Hare International Airport. To commemorate the milestone, the mayor signed a ceremonial “first beam” alongside CDA leaders and construction lead AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa. 

"As we raise the first beam, we’re reinforcing O’Hare’s role as a global hub and an engine of opportunity for Chicago," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "For over 70 years, O'Hare has been a key driver of the Chicago economy. This new phase of O'Hare's expansion will launch the next 70 years of Chicago's global business dominance and local career opportunities." 

Designed by Chicago-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with Ross Barney Architects, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA), and Arup, the New Concourse D will include 19 new gates designed for narrow-body aircraft, with the flexibility to adapt 18 of those gates into nine larger gates that can accommodate wide-body planes. Current planned amenities include more than 20,000 square feet of lounge space, 30,000 square feet of commercial space, and a 450-square-foot children’s play area.  

At the northern end of the 590,000-square-foot Concourse D is a 40-foot-high atrium-like space connecting the building’s three levels, marked by an oculus that directs daylight into the levels below, offering a warm, inviting, and well-landscaped seating area for travelers to enjoy.  

The building will feature tree-like structural columns — an elegant and functional design element — which also serve as a subtle nod to the apple orchard that once stood on the site where O’Hare now thrives.  

Joint venture contractor AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa broke ground on the $1.45 billion project in August 2025, and approximately 35% of the foundational work is now complete. This includes more than 90% of the deep foundation caissons. In the coming weeks, construction crews will install a 195-foot-tall tower crane at the center of O’Hare’s airfield, marking the transition to vertical construction of the 73-foot-tall facility. 

The New Concourse D is the first phase of the broader ORDNext program, which also includes the future Concourse E and, ultimately, a new Global Terminal that will replace Terminal 2 at O'Hare International Airport. Construction of the New Concourse D is set to be completed in late 2028.