New York City’s air travel hub may soon be getting an update. Reuters reports that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is seeking proposals to complete a $10 billion renovation of John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to a statement by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In his statement, Cuomo called JFK “an international gateway to New York and a powerful economic engine with the potential to grow even stronger,” according to Reuters. Airwise reports that this airport is the busiest in the United States, with passenger numbers predicted to reach 75 million by 2030 and 100 million by 2050. And the airport could reach capacity as soon as the mid-2020s.
New York City is no stranger to improvement, both residential and commercial. But while a small residential bathroom addition offers an 86.4% ROI, a large renovation like this has the potential to ease transportation and travel in an ever expanding city. According to Reuters, the proposed renovation would be based on a study panel that found points in need of improvement regarding airport transportation. This includes the need to join disconnected terminals, redesign internal airport roadways, open AirTrain access, and improve parking lots.
Cuomo said in his statement that he envisions JFK as “a center of economic activity and a world-class airport of the caliber that New York deserves,” according to Reuters. To achieve this, the Port Authority will be selective on the firm it chooses to design the renovation plan. To be considered, a firm must have experience completing a plan of this scale in the past decade. The plan must have cost $5 million and served an airport or transportation hub that caters to at least 15 million passengers.
This plan is not the only proposal to tweak the transportation hub. Curbed reports that officials announced various plans in 2015 to improve JFK, including luxury pet terminals and a 24,000 square foot farm for JetBlue Airways. This plan also comes after a $4 million proposal to improve LaGuardia. So, while 63% of adults stay within 150 miles of home for a camping trip, it might soon be easier to travel a bit farther.
But is renovation always good news for New Yorkers? Maybe not. While New York City weathers the so-called “summer of hell” as a result of MTA renovations, more transportation improvements may be the last thing you want to hear. But worry not. Curbed reports that officials have not yet released the timeline for the JFK project.
