Rendering Courtesy of the Office of the Governor
In July 2015, Gov. Cuomo unveiled the vision for a comprehensive, $8 billion development of LaGuardia Airport.
By Forum Staff
The first of four concourses that will comprise Delta Air Lines’ new state-of-the-art terminal at LaGuardia Airport is on track to open this fall, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday.
The 105,000-square-foot concourse will feature floor-to-ceiling views of Citi Field and Flushing Bay, gates that can accommodate a wide range of aircraft, and dining options from favorite New York chefs and eateries, according to the governor.
As final preparations continue for the opening of the new concourse, Delta teams recently installed passenger boarding bridges at the gates and energized the facility with permanent power. According to the administration, they’ve also been paving the aircraft ramp areas, testing building systems, and constructing the temporary pedestrian walkway that will connect the new concourse to Delta’s existing Terminal D. The security checkpoint in Terminal D will expand to support both concourses until the centralized check-in lobby opens in late 2021.
“This new milestone in LaGuardia’s transformation brings us another step closer in converting the airport into a world-class flight hub in line with New York standards,” Cuomo said. “Our collaboration with Delta in the development of this concourse and the new LaGuardia terminal is another demonstration of the effectiveness of public-private partnerships at work to modernize our state’s infrastructure.”
In July 2015, Cuomo unveiled the vision for a comprehensive development of LaGuardia Airport. The $8 billion project, 80 percent of which is funded through private financing and existing passenger fees, will create a unified terminal system. It is a complex, multi-phased project, requiring the construction of a new airport on top of an existing one while remaining fully operational. The project includes a new Terminal B on the eastern side of the airport, which will serve Air Canada, American Airlines, Southwest and United; a new Delta Air Lines Terminal C on the western side of the airport, replacing the current Terminals C and D; an improved roadway system; new parking infrastructure, and other associated projects.
When complete, LaGuardia—which services 30 million passengers each year—will be the nation’s first entirely new airport in 25 years. Under Cuomo’s plan, old facilities are being demolished only as new facilities are completed, ensuring the airport never loses capacity. To date, Delta’s construction features 2,000 tons of steel, more than 50,000 cubic yards of concrete, and more than 40 miles of piping, cabling and other infrastructure.
The new LaGuardia Airport, according to the governor, will include the $4 billion Terminal B redevelopment which will replace the outdated terminal which opened more than 50 years ago. Terminal B’s first 18-gate new concourse opened last December featuring floor-ceiling windows, an indoor park with benches and landscaping, and modern restrooms.
“LaGuardia Airport is undergoing this massive redevelopment to ultimately offer travelers a world-class facility that New York deserves, and the opening of Delta’s newest concourse at LGA will be an important next step,” said Rick Cotton, executive director at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. “Governor Cuomo’s vision to transform this facility into a state-of-the-art airport is well on its way and we look forward to many more momentous milestones ahead.”
