UPDATED: March 21, 2023: AECOM Hunt started construction on Terminal 6 at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City at the end of February, according to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. The $4.2 billion effort is the final portion of the sprawling $18 billion-plus JFK overhaul to get underway. It will include 10 new gates and create more than 1,800 union construction jobs, and is slated to be finished by 2029.
Separately, the Port Authority on Thursday voted to up its funding authorization for the infrastructure portion of the overall JFK project by about $1 billion, bringing the new budget for the Capital Plan to $3.9 billion, Bloomberg reported. This funding will cover upgrades to roadways, power and communications systems and sanitary and storm drainage facilities, all needed to support the overhaul.
Port Authority officials blamed the higher price tag on inflation, growing labor costs and supply chain disruptions, and said the agency received bids well over the $2.9 billion originally budgeted for the Capital Plan, per Bloomberg.
Dive Brief:
- Construction on the $4.2 billion Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City is set to start in early 2023, now that financial investments have been made and approvals are secured for the first phase. The privately financed project will be completed in two phases, with the first new gates opening in 2026 and completion expected in 2028, according to a press release.
- Terminal 6 will be built through a P3 between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners, a consortium that includes Vantage Airport Group, American Triple I, real estate operating company RXR and JetBlue Airways.
- Per the release, the project will be built by union labor under a full project-labor agreement.
Dive Insight:
The Port Authority announced in 2017 the $18 billion JFK transformation to accommodate dramatic expected growth at the city’s main international airport. The pandemic had put the project on hold, with Terminal 6 now the final of four segments to kick off.
The other three elements of the transformation plan are:
- The $9.5 billion Terminal 1 expansion, which broke ground in September. The design-build team is composed of AECOM Tishman and Gensler.
- The $1.5 billion Terminal 4 expansion, which was approved in the spring and is under construction. Delta Airlines is managing construction with support from firms including STV, Turner Construction, Group PMX, McKissack and NYCO.
- The $400 million Terminal 8 modernization is expected to wrap this year. It’s being built by Holt Construction-AECOM.
The 1.2 million-square-foot Terminal 6 will have a 10-gate capacity as well as shopping and dining options, according to the release. It will have floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings, and will feature public art by New York artists and architectural elements depicting local landmarks, according to the release.
The new terminal will also be fitted with touchless technology from check-in to gates, as well as automated TSA lanes and biometric access control systems, the release said. Its design will be flexible to accommodate future technology or regulatory changes. The pandemic has accelerated the popularity of touchless enhancements and adaptable design in airports.
The project is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs, including 1,800 union construction roles, and will aim for more than 30% participation from minority- and women-owned businesses, according to the release.
