The Briefing: THE BOSS’ MANAGEMENT STRATEGY As manager of the Van Nuys Airport, Selena Birk faces challenges every day, everything from tenant needs for more space to complaints of neighbors about the noise created by early morning TV and radio helicopters trying to get commuters the latest updates on freeway tie-ups. Some challenges arise even when the idea is to make things better for Valley residents. For the last year and a half, the airport has been pushing a plan for a new commuter bus terminal, for shuttle passengers to and from LAX. Current plans for the $30 million project include an elevated parking garage, an increase in the number of parking spaces for commuters from 2,000 to between 4,000 and 6,000 and a food concession area. Plans have been challenged by residents living nearby concerned the changes would bring more cars, buses and noise into their neighborhoods. The airport has asked its architects to revamp the Flyaways plans to address resident concerns. Officials now hope to have plans finalized, out to bid this fall and construction completed by next year. Birk spoke recently to Business Journal reporter Jacqueline Fox about the project, where it stands and her strategy for keeping it on track. “The design has been a challenge for us from the start. But we have been working with the community and we’ve developed and updated the plan in order to minimize bus and vehicle traffic. “When we first started getting concerns, we decided to hold a public hearing to discuss the project. The total process has probably taken about a year and a half. We are not required to do that, but because the Flyaways has been such an institution in the Valley, and a lot of people want to take advantage of it, many wanted to be a part of the process. “One of the big challenges we are still wrestling with is trying to anticipate what the airlines at LAX, Ontario and Palmdale airports are going to need in the future. We are anticipating a lot of technological changes. We don’t know yet fully what some of those technology changes might be, but they include things like check-in areas, on-site ticket purchases or e-ticketing. The potential is there for changes (to the current plan), but we are trying to anticipate what might be needed and design for as much flexibility in order to meet those needs, whatever they will be. We are doing that as we go along.”