Photo Credit, pheezy, Flickr
LaGuardia is not the only New York-area airport celebrating today. The future of the airport, and its outdated infrastructure, was up for debate for quite some time, but it is finally getting a new lease on life. Meanwhile, JFK also has a reason to celebrate. The Eero Saarinen-designed terminal built for TWA as the TWA Flight Center will be back in use, and this time it will be without noisy airport announcements and passengers running to catch connecting flights.
Following a thorough renovation, the building will reopen as the closest hotel to the terminals at JFK airport. According to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a public-private partnership including MCR Development, jetBlue, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will tackle the overhaul, although there is no word on what brand will have its sign on the door. It is planned to be privately funded.
The architectural marvel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005, was renovated in 2008. Despite its proximity to jetBlue’s terminal 5, it is not part of the airline’s operations and has remained mostly vacant.
Soon, as the TWA Flight Center Hotel, it will be filled with curious aviation geeks, weary business travelers, and fliers stuck overnight at the airport in one of 505 guest rooms. Numerous dining outlets will ply hungry guests with their menus while 40,000 square feet of meeting space will lure conference and convention business.
MCR Development CEO Tyler Morse said:
“The TWA Flight Center Hotel will celebrate and preserve Eero Saarinen’s masterpiece, returning the landmark to its original glory and re-opening it to the public.”
The hotel will actually be slightly set back from the terminal to keep the emphasis on the landmark itself. Most exciting for aviation fans will be a new museum focusing on the history of TWA, the important role New York played in the dawn of the jet age, and mid-century modern design.
This is sure to bring a smile to those that remember the terminal building in its heyday. High five to historians and aviation buffs everywhere!