Source: Port Authority of NY and NJ

  • Request for Expressions of Interest Seeks Project Ideas; Process Will Shape Future Request for Proposals, Expected by Summer 2022
  • New Plaza Designed to Help Advance Port Authority’s NetZero Vision
  • Ground Transportation Center Part of Planned JFK Transformation
  • Sustainable Roof Level Could Include a Green Roof, Solar Canopies, Plaza for Seasonal Food Trucks, and Other Amenities for Travelers and Airport Community

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) that seeks ideas and proposals for the development of a sustainable roof level plaza as part of a new Ground Transportation Center (GTC) at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

As part of JFK’s planned $18-billion transformation, and reflective of the Port Authority’s commitment to sustainability, a plaza and active green space atop a new four-level parking garage at the heart of the airport’s Central Terminal Area presents a unique opportunity to provide superior amenities.

The new plaza will help advance the Port Authority’s NetZero vision, with the potential new solar canopies and a green roof. A green roof can contribute positively to lowering ambient temperatures — reducing the heat island effect – while absorbing carbon dioxide, saving energy, and reducing wastewater runoff.

Among the other potential amenities under consideration are a grassy meadow, an overlook with views of the airfield and the Manhattan skyline, a walk/run/cycle track that will afford travelers and employees an opportunity for healthful activity, an area to showcase local food trucks, and possibly a small area for performances.

“The Port Authority is committed to sustainability and to our agency-wide NetZero vision as a key element in transforming our airports,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Creating a sustainable rooftop plaza that also provides amenities for travelers is an important symbol of this vision.”

“Working with our private partners, we are moving forward to give the traveling public and the residents of our region what they have long asked for — a world-class global gateway at JFK, and state-of-the-art airports across our region,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “A public plaza that is green and sustainable at the heart of a transformed JFK shows our commitment to a unique and inspiring airport experience.”

Information on the RFEOI can be found here: https://www.panynj.gov/content/dam/port-authority/pdfs/altlernative-project-delivery-pdfs/REOIDOC_6000000820.pdf

Travelers, visitors and airport employees would have direct access to the roof level plaza from the new ground transportation center, the new Terminal 1, a modernized and expanded Terminal 4, and AirTrain stations.

The Port Authority’s issuance of this RFEOI will begin the procurement process. The expressions of interest submissions will be reviewed and would be followed by a public Request for Proposals that may be informed and shaped by the proposed approaches and potential use concepts provided through the RFEOI process.

JFK Vision Plan

In January 2017, the JFK Vision Plan was announced to transform John F. Kennedy International Airport into the unified,world-class airport that New Yorkers deserve. The plan calls for an overhaul of the airport’s eight disparate terminal sites into one interconnected JFK Airport by demolishing old terminals, utilizing vacant space, and modernizing on-airport infrastructure, while incorporating the latest in passenger amenities and technological innovations.

The Vision Plan provides a strategic framework for the Port Authority and its partners to completely redevelop, modify and expand existing facilities and infrastructure. This includes increasing the number and size of gates, improving parking availability, providing an array of airside taxiway improvements to reduce gate congestion, upgrading the AirTrain JFK system to increase capacity, and enhancing roadways on and off the airport, particularly the Van Wyck Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway, and including the Kew Gardens Interchange. The aggressive, forward-facing master plan provides for staged redevelopment.

Once completed, the transformed JFK will provide an outstanding world-class experience to customers, optimized land and airspace use, expanded economic opportunities for the Borough of Queens and the region, and continued economic development for our neighbors through job creation, and environmental stewardship of local wildlife and preservation of recreation.