New LaGuardia Airport; What It Will Look Like And When It Will Be Completed
Queens – Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that construction on the new LaGuardia Airport has begun – marking the first complete rebuild of an airport in the United States in more than 20 years. The Governor, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, made the announcement as construction began on a new 1.3 million square foot, state-of-the-art 35-gate terminal, along with a new west parking garage and other supporting facilities.
The groundbreaking follows the recently executed lease agreement and financial close reached by LaGuardia Gateway Partners and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on June 1. The new airport will begin to open to the public in 2018, with all portions of the redesigned Terminal B slated to open by the end of 2021. New renderings of the new LaGuardia Airport are available here.
“LaGuardia is a key driver of New York’s economy and transportation network, but for far too long it has been outdated, overcrowded, and unworthy of the Empire State,”Governor Cuomo said. “Today, we are not just breaking ground – we are building an entirely new LaGuardia and transforming it into a world-class transportation gateway for the 21st century.This state has always been built to lead and now that legacy continues with this unprecedented project that will drive growth and generate continued prosperity for generations to come.”
21st Century LaGuardia Airport
The $4 billion redevelopment project, which will completely reconstruct Terminal B and create a central entry hall, together with Delta’s planned rebuild of its terminals, will transform LaGuardia Airport into a single, unified main terminal with expanded transportation access, significantly increased taxiway space and best-in-class passenger amenities. Construction begins with a roadway network and a new 3000-space parking garage that will significantly reduce congestion at the airport. The design reflects the recommendations from the Governor’s Airport Advisory Panel, including the new light-filled central hall where passengers arrive, and which connects Terminals B and C for the first time.
The project is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification for sustainable design. The terminal will be flooded with natural light at all levels, have short curb-to-gate walking distances, include capacity for retail, food, and beverage concessions, and spacious comfortable waiting areas with more seating capacity.
The airport’s interior will be intuitive for passengers to navigate, and will facilitate efficient movement throughout the terminal. The design will also take into account the realities of post-9/11 air travel, with additional space for security check-in to help diminish wait times for passengers as they pass through mandatory TSA screening.
Construction will be on an expedited basis, with operations at the airport continuing uninterrupted over the course of the project. Half of the new gates in the new Terminal B will open to the public in 2018. The main terminal area will open in early 2020, and a second set of gates will open in two phases – one later in 2020 and the last phase in 2021.
By moving the terminal closer to Grand Central Parkway, the project will increase airport taxiways by more than two miles and reduce airport ground delays. In addition to the new terminal and central hall, LaGuardia Gateway Partners will also construct new utilities, runway improvements, and other supporting infrastructure.
Delta Air Lines is in advanced negotiations with the Port Authority with respect to the redevelopment of its existing C and D terminals and has declared its intention to rebuild them both on a parallel construction track.
Q70 Limited Bus Service – “LaGuardia Link”
The Governor also announced that beginning in September 2016, buses on the current Q70 route serving LaGuardia Airport will be relaunched with a distinctive new look designed to help customers and tourists quickly find their way between LaGuardia Airport and two regional transit hubs in Queens that connect to five subway lines, Long Island Rail Road and seven bus lines.
The Q70 offers a convenient option for customers going to LaGuardia Airport via a connection right outside two transit hubs in Queens: Woodside-61 St 7 train station, where a LIRR transfer is available, and the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av 7, E, F, M, and R train station. From those stations the Q 70 operates non-stop to LaGuardia Airport’s Central Terminal (B), Terminal C, and Terminal D. Commuting times from midtown Manhattan to LaGuardia can be as fast as 35 minutes, and the connection to the bus is free for subway customers who use their MetroCard.
The route, nicknamed the “LaGuardia Link,” will also become a Select Bus Service which employs convenient off-board fare technology that allows customers to pre-pay their fare and enter and exit through any bus door, eliminating the need to wait to pay at a single fare box, and decreasing dwell time at stops. The LaGuardia Link will also continue to offer travelers convenient luggage storage racks.
The improvements on the Q70 Limited route are part of Governor Cuomo’s plans to enhance the experience of bus customers, which include rolling out more than 2,000 new state-of-the-art buses over the next five years.
Nation’s Largest Public-Private Partnership
The groundbreaking follows the financial close of $2.4 billion in bonds for the complete redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport on June 1. LaGuardia Gateway Partners’ tax exempt and taxable bonds were issued by the New York Transportation Development Corporation, an affiliate of Empire State Development.
Under the design-build contract, LGP – the nation’s largest public-private partnership – will design, build, operate and maintain the facility. More than two-thirds of the project will be paid for by private financing and existing passenger fees. Overall, the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport is expected to create 8,000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs, generating $1.3 billion in wages and stimulating $5.2 billion in direct economic activity.
LGP, a consortium of firms with extensive experience in terminal operations, construction, design and finances, was selected by the Port Authority in May 2015 following a competitive RFP. The consortium includes:
- Vantage Airport Group – Currently manages nine airports across three continents, and has transitioned 19 airports from public to private management.
- Meridiam – Leading global investor and asset manager.
- Skanska and Walsh Construction – Construction joint venture.
- HOK and Parsons Brinckerhoff – Design joint venture.
The risk of cost overruns and schedule delays will be born solely by LGP under the design-build contract.
Consistent with Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading goal of 30 percent participation of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE), construction of the new Terminal B project will provide extensive economic opportunities for MWBE contractors in the Borough of Queens and throughout the New York Metropolitan Region.
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