San Francisco International Airport's Terminal 2 reopens this week after a $383 million overhaul that has created an environmental showcase from the shell of a tired facility that was nearly six decades old.

The ambitious project by the city, its airport and the design-build team of Gensler and Turner Construction is a bid to revive the iconic status of the facility once known as Central Terminal, which boasted the latest technology and amenities for commercial aviation when the building opened in 1954.

The operators of T2, the new home of domestic flights for American Airlines and San Francisco-based Virgin America, seek to update those claims with building systems that exceed energy reductions demanded by California code by 15 percent; water-saving measures and fixtures that cut consumption by an average of 40 percent; a design that bathes the facility in natural light; decor that's more akin to the hospitality industry than commercial travel; and shops, restaurants and other diversions that can be found at an upscale mall.

Entering the building, "we immediately felt we'd walked into a five-star hotel lobby," said San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, who was among the dignitaries and business leaders attending a media preview of the terminal yesterday.

That's precisely what was intended, said Airport Director John L. Martin, who presided over the event and praised the project partners for completing the renovation on time and under budget. A community open house celebration is scheduled Saturday at T2, and the terminal officially opens to flights next Thursday, April 14.

On hand for the unveiling yesterday were California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, Virgin Group Founder and CEO Sir Richard Branson, Virgin America President & CEO David Cush, American Airlines VP Airport Services Timothy Ahern, Gensler Founder and President Arthur Gensler and Turner Construction Senior Vice President Mike O'Brien.

With T2's twin focus on sustainability and elevating the travel experience, the airport and its operators are trying to recapture yesteryear's lost elegance (and romance, as Martin put it) of flying, while incorporating elements that are key to 21st century living.

'We're trying to build a 21st century airport as we advance new ways to think about travel in the future," said Newsom. The lieutenant governor, who was San Francisco's mayor when the design phase of T2 began in April 2008, noted that the airlines making their home in the revamped terminal bridge the facility's past and its future.

The carriers underscored that connection by bringing vintage, new and next-gen aircraft to the event.