Los Angeles International Airport's Midfield Satellite Concourse South (MSC South) has opened to the public, completing a nearly $421 million terminal expansion delivered on time and on budget using an offsite construction and relocation (OCR) technique its developers describe as only the second application of the method at a U.S. airfield. The concourse opened on October 21, 2025, adding more than 150,000 square feet and eight new gates for narrowbody aircraft as an extension of the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Background
MSC South is part of LAX's $30 billion Capital Improvement Program, a campus-wide modernization initiative designed to prepare the airport for a surge in international arrivals ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 NFL Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project also enables the phased demolition and rebuild of Terminal 5, which began its closure on October 28, 2025, with flights rehoused across the new concourse and other existing terminals.
The OCR strategy was selected in part because the 10-acre build site is hemmed in on all sides by taxiways, an adjacent hangar, and MSC North, leaving virtually no laydown space for conventional construction. Stuart Brumpton, principal on the project at Buro Happold, said, "The site was completely landlocked, with almost zero laydown space. Modular construction really solved that constraint, while reducing risk by allowing parallel workstreams."
Details
Construction began in June 2023, with the structural frame completed in under seven months. The nine building segments were fabricated at a dedicated OCR yard approximately 1.75 miles north of the final installation site, beyond the airport's northern runways, allowing full airfield operations to continue uninterrupted. Each segment was transported overnight using Mammoet self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) - specialized multi-wheeled vehicles whose wheels rotate 360 degrees for precise lateral positioning. One segment was moved every three days, with the complete on-site assembly wrapped up in approximately one month.
A notable logistical challenge involved the Argo Ditch, a flood channel running parallel to the north runway and regulated by four government agencies. The approved solution required a flood-resistant dirt bridge fitted with two 60-foot drainpipes to allow building segments to cross safely en route to the airfield.
According to Buro Happold, the LAX project went further than previous U.S. OCR efforts by completing a broad range of interior elements - including building systems - offsite before transport, rather than limiting prefabrication to structural frames and basic MEP. Brumpton estimated that modular construction shortened the overall schedule by up to six months compared to conventional delivery.
The project was developed through a collaboration between Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), general contractor W.E. O'Neil Construction, design architect Woods Bagot, and structural and MEP engineer Buro Happold. The project brought together 374 local workers and achieved over 30% local hire participation, including graduates of the HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program. The concourse is targeting LEED Silver certification and incorporates a brise soleil system for passive cooling.
"Together with Woods Bagot, LAWA, and all other team members, we're revolutionizing the way work can be built at LAX - and at other airfields around the country," said Brian Rush, Vice President of Preconstruction at W.E. O'Neil.
Outlook
LAWA has confirmed the OCR method will be applied again for the new Terminal 5, signaling institutional commitment to offsite fabrication as a standard delivery mechanism for future airport infrastructure at LAX. According to Buro Happold, the OCR approach's ability to reduce security-access administration for airside work also broadened engagement with minority-owned businesses, a factor likely to inform workforce planning on subsequent phases. The new Terminal 5 is expected to open in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
