NEW YORK CITY—Sometimes, when dealing with our aging infrastructure, an element needs more than a nip here and a tuck there. In recognition of that fact—Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday during an Association for a Better New York luncheon—LaGuardia Airport is going to be replaced with a new, modern, $4 billion facility.
Also pledging to grant Metropolitan Transit Authority chairman and CEO Thomas Prendegrast's recent request for $8.3 billion in state funding—which, in part, will help the state make up the $11 billion gap in its capital budget—and to revise three other area airports, the Governor was joined on the podium by VP Joe Biden, who brought himself into the LGA fray some years ago when he likened the terminal to that of a “third world country.”
“New York will once again lead the way in infrastructure development,” Cuomo concluded in a rousing speech that earned him a standing ovation. “This is what we get when we work together; we will have the newest airport in the US. This is what New York deserves and now we're going to get it.”
Added Biden, “NYC requires a 21st century infrastructure, it's the greatest city in the world. Demand at LaGuardia is expected to grow from 27 to 34 million in passengers so you have to build smarter. The new terminal will maximize security space, increase the concession area to create more dining options, and in a more elegant way, it will have new passenger garages, and more.”
He continued, “This project is going to pull millions and billions off the sidelines for more productivity and efficiency. I encourage other governors to step up and do the same thing. Investing in infrastructure is the only way we're going to grow.”
Set to be funded by a public/private partnership with Delta Air Lines, the new LaGuardia airport will bring the terminal's four buildings into one and set the airport closer to the Grand Central Parkway by about 600 feet—providing more space for airplanes to taxi on runways and ultimately cut down on delays. In addition, the Governor has proposed creating an AirTrain option that directly connects LaGuardia to the New York City subway and Long Island Rail Road at Mets-Willets Point Station. The new LaGuardia's unified terminal will be designed to incorporate a future AirTrain terminal.
Further, the Governor's airport master plan advisory panel recommends that the airport once again be made accessible by ferry service. The panel also calls for an enhanced road configuration to improve passenger access and reduce traffic on local streets in the airport's vicinity, including the Grand Central Parkway.
As for other area terminals, a new master plan for John F. Kennedy Airport requests a unified version for the disparate terminals and is slated for completion within the next 12 months, with construction set to start next year. The complex will include a 550-room hotel, opening in 2018, with over 40,000 square feet of meeting space and six to eight food and dining outlets.
In addition, Stewart International Airport, in Orange County, and Republic Airport on Long Island will gain “free trade zones with start-up NY tax-free status,” making them among “the least expensive places in the country to site a business state,” according to Cuomo.
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Rayna Katz
Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
