US. New York State and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey yesterday gave the green light to build a state-of-the-art US$3.9 billion international terminal that will anchor the north side of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Subject to Board approval this week, the Port Authority will finalise and enter into a lease agreement with Vantage-led JFK Millennium Partners, the private consortium that will finance, develop, and operate the new 1.2 million sq ft new terminal. The full expense of building the terminal will be privately financed by JFK Millennium Partners.
It will be built on the sites of the former Terminal 6, which was demolished in 2011, and the aging Terminal 7, which will be torn down after British Airways relocates to Terminal 8. Besides the aeronautical and other facilities, customers will enjoy more than 100,000sq ft of commercial dining and retail amenities, lounges, and recreational spaces.
For this project, Vantage has partnered with American Triple I (ATI), a 100% minority and woman-owned investor and developer, and RXR Realty, a leading New York commercial real estate development firm, with AECOM Hunt as the design-build team.
Together with the Port Authority and JetBlue, the new terminal’s airline sponsor, Vantage said that it will have the exciting opportunity to bring yet another world-class airport terminal to life in the New York metro area.
This will be achieved, Vantage pledged, through intuitive, sustainable terminal design, best-in-class operations, and over 100,000sq ft of exceptional, New York- inspired customer amenities – much like the features travellers are now enjoying at the Vantage-developed LaGuardia Terminal B, which opened its spectacular Arrivals & Departures Hall just last year.
Vantage Airport Group, Chair & CEO George Casey said: “As lead member of JFK Millennium Partners, Vantage Airport Group is honoured to partner with the Port Authority, JetBlue, and all of our JMP partners, to bring another world-class airport terminal to life in the New York metro area for the benefit of travellers and the local community.
“New York is such a proud and vibrant city, and we look forward to bringing that energy to this international terminal redevelopment project, through intuitive terminal design, best-in-class operations, and exceptional passenger amenities.”
The T6 redevelopment will include critical infrastructure improvements to the airport’s roadways, optimising traffic flow and transportation access at the airport. It will also deliver enhanced circulation for departing and arriving aircraft, reducing airside congestion and delays. In addition, the expanded footprint offers capacity for additional airline operations, to improve connectivity and maximise use of the space.
Local community involvement is a key component of this project, and similar to Vantage’s achievements at Chicago Midway and LaGuardia Terminal B, the goal is meeting or exceeding New York State’s goal of 30% utilisation of Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs).
The redevelopment of JFK comes at a critical time for economic recovery from the pandemic, Vantage commented. The group and its partners are creating and executing a robust engagement plan, which will maximise opportunities for local and diverse community involvement in every aspect of the project, from investment and construction to concessions and operations contracts.
The project was initially supposed to break ground in 2020. The extraordinary level of private investment had been threatened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel and future projections for the industry. “The restructured deal marks a major step forward in the ambitious plan to transform JFK into a unified 21st century global gateway and is a testament to the partners’ commitment to the future of the airport and New York,” Vantage said.
The new terminal will connect to Terminal 5 and be equipped with capacity for ten new gates, as well as bright and airy check-in halls and arrival spaces designed to enhance the customer experience.
The new terminal will also incorporate the latest advances in both sustainability and security and evoke a uniquely New York sense of place. Construction of the new terminal is scheduled to begin in mid-2022 and the first new gates are scheduled to open in 2025.
The development of Terminal 6 is expected to result in over 4,000 direct jobs and direct payroll wages of US$1.9 billion. The total economic activity impact from the project, including indirect effects such as the purchases of employees of suppliers, amounts to nearly US$2.8 billion in total wages and US$6.3 billion in total economic activity.
The new Terminal 6 will connect to and be seamlessly integrated with the existing T5, including the eventual consolidation of international arrivals facilities, and by consolidating a distinct taxi plaza as well as designate for-hire vehicle pick-up areas with T5.
JFK Airport is one of the region’s most powerful economic engines, supporting roughly 300,000 jobs that pay US$16.2 billion in wages annually while generating US$45.7 billion in yearly sales.
Prior to the onset of the pandemic, the airport set a record with 62.6 million passengers in 2019.
