The latest in a series of renovations being carried out at the city’s busiest airport, Governor Kathy Hochul marked the start of construction of a new $4.2 billion terminal on Thursday.
Since construction is about to begin on the 10-gate, 1.2 million-square-foot Terminal 6, anticipated to open to passengers as early as 2026, Hochul and other authorities participated in a ceremonial groundbreaking.
New Yorkers, that’s us. Hochul stated during a gathering at a nearby hangar that “we know we deserve the best.
The Port Authority and JFK Millennium Partners, a group that comprises investors Vantage Airport Group, JetBlue, and other sponsors, have joined forces to develop the privately funded project, which will result in the creation of 4,000 jobs.
According to Hochul, who gave a tip of the hat to Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, about half of the employment will be in union construction.
The governor declared that “organized labor is the key to getting this done.”
According to the governor’s office, the group behind the project will divide development into two phases, with the opening of the first new gates scheduled for 2026 and the completion of the total construction planned for 2028.
The new terminal, which would cover the locations of the previous Terminal 6 and the current Terminal 7, shared by Alaska Airlines and other carriers, will create an anchor for passenger travel on JFK’s north side.
Terminal 7 will be managed by JFK Millennium Partners until the 50-year-old building is torn down to make room for the second stage of construction.
Floor-to-ceiling windows, public artwork created by New York-based artists, and architectural features that represent New York landmarks will all be included in the spacious new Terminal 6.
More than 100,000 square feet of dining and shopping space will be available to passengers, including Taste of NY boutiques, artisan beverage options, and restaurants with a local focus.
The Port Authority would contribute $130 million in capital funding as part of the arrangement with JFK Millennium Partners to build up the new terminal’s infrastructure, including airside improvements and utility upgrades like electrical support.
Additional improvements include installing cutting-edge technology, such as touchless check-in at gates and digital technologies that will speed up the procedure, to enhance the visitor experience.
Automated TSA security lanes, biometric access control systems, and flexible architecture to meet future technological or regulatory changes will all be features of advanced security systems.
Officials claim that sharing a new taxi plaza and designated for-hire vehicle pickup places with Terminal 5 will lessen airport traffic congestion.
The extension of JFK’s Terminal 1—an estimated $9.5 billion project—will comprise that terminal’s original footprint on the airport’s south side and those of Terminals 2 and 3—began months before the groundbreaking.
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