News
LaGuardia Airport Opens Final Two Gates And Remainder Of Taxiway At New Terminal B
28.07.2022
Construction Completed in January; Final Gates Now Operational
Hailed as one of the Largest Public-Private Partnership Projects in American Aviation History, Terminal B Stuns New Yorkers and Visitors Alike
Photos Available Here For Use with Credit to LaGuardia Gateway Partners
New York, NY (July 28, 2022) – LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private entity managing and redeveloping LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, today announced that the last remaining elements of the new terminal have opened. Governor Kathy Hochul and other dignitaries celebrated the completion of construction of the terminal passenger facility in January, and as part of the LGP’s innovative project phasing, the two final gates and remainder of the taxiway were the last pieces to become operational, following the demolition of the old Central Terminal Building (CTB).
LGP includes Meridiam, Vantage Airport Group, Skanska, and JLC Infrastructure for development and equity investment, with Skanska/Walsh as the design build joint venture and HOK and WSP for design. Holding a 35-year lease, LGP will continue to manage the new 1.3 million-square-foot terminal that was designed with operational efficiency in mind. Terminal B features soaring ceilings, walls of windows, a state-of-the-art security checkpoint, outposts of beloved city restaurants, art from world-renowned artists, 35 gates, a 3,100-car parking garage, and new covered, convenient pickup facilities for both taxis and ride-sharing vehicles. This terminal is only half of the $8 billion redevelopment of the entire LaGuardia Airport. With a construction value of $4 billion, the Terminal B project is one of the largest public-private partnerships the United States has seen and one of the largest in American aviation history.
While the new Terminal B was being built, the original Central Terminal Building (CTB) remained operational throughout the entire construction process through an innovative construction phasing plan, which included building over top of the old facility while it remained operational. The last of the 1960s-era CTB was torn down in early 2022 to make way for active aircraft taxiways under the new terminal’s skybridges. The design of the dual skybridges – and the only such feature at any of the world’s airports – allowed for the addition of two extra miles of taxiway space for the busy airport and more efficient operations.
The new Terminal B has been internationally recognized with UNESCO’s Prix Versailles, Airports, as the best new airport in the world in 2021, as well as by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. Additionally, the project won the 2022 “Innovation of the Year” award in the annual American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Public-Private Partnership (P3) Awards Program, which spotlights an idea within a P3 project that demonstrates advancement in the P3 field and increased quality and efficiency compared to past practice.
In its entirety, the Terminal B redevelopment project took over 17 million hours of work and 40,000 tons of steel; the Arrivals & Departures Hall alone was constructed with 12,000 tons of steel – more than the Eiffel Tower. Prioritizing resiliency as a core value, LGP has deployed a mix of sustainable strategies that meet specific benchmarks, including energy efficiency, water conservation, site selection, material selection, and waste reduction. Terminal B was built with sustainability in mind utilizing energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and material selection strategies. More than 90 percent of the construction and demolition waste – 69,000 tons – was diverted from landfills, and in fact, Terminal B received LEED v4 Gold certification, the highest distinction awarded by the U.S. Green Buildings Council. Over 300 talented Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) worked on the project, with contracts valued at more than $910 million.
Jane Garvey, Global Chairman, Meridiam and member of the Board of Directors, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said, “I’m so pleased to be celebrating the opening of the remaining gates and portion of the taxiway – the final pieces of the world-class Terminal B. Meridiam is proud to have worked with the entire LaGuardia Gateway Partners team to design and build Terminal B with sustainability in mind and deliver Terminal B on time and on budget.”
As a leader in sustainable investment and asset management, Meridiam has delivered over $75 billion in total investment across more than 100 projects globally. With this extensive experience and proven track record, Meridiam has distinguished itself as an established partner of choice to the public sector throughout North America.
Meridiam’s global airport portfolio includes Bulgaria’s Sofia Airport, Madagascar’s Ivato and Nosy Bé airports and Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport.