An agreement between JetBlue Airways and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved August 4 paves the way for a new Gensler-designed terminal at New York’s JFK International Airport that will allow restoration of the TWA Terminal. The architect reports that the new structure’s low profile creates a respectful background to the iconic Terminal 5, designed by AIA Gold Medalist Eero Saarinen, which fronts the new building’s site. The JetBlue terminal’s geometric lines and clean metal and glass enclosure foils the soaring concrete curves of Saarinen’s masterpiece.

The agreement between the Port Authority and JetBlue calls for the airline to renovate and use the former TWA Terminal, which, completed in 1962, cannot accommodate today’s passenger flow and huge aircraft. The Port Authority also entered an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration, the New York Historic Preservation Office, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to rehabilitate and restore the TWA Terminal, which has stood empty since 2001. The Port Authority reports that the project will also include a 1,500-space parking garage and incorporate the connecting tubes of the TWA Terminal into the new design.

The 625,000-square-foot terminal will have 26 contact gates on 70 acres to serve a projected 20 million passengers per year. “For their new terminal at JFK International Airport, JetBlue wanted a building that reflected their commitment to service and efficiency,” says David Epstein, Gensler’s design principal for the project.

JetBlue customers will approach the new terminal via a new departures roadway or a bridge extension from an airport Airtrain station. After proceeding through ticketing and security areas, passengers will continue to the junction of three concourses, replete with a variety of takeout food stands and restaurants. “New York City is a very important market for us,” says Richard Smyth, vice president of redevelopment with JetBlue. “Working with Gensler to create a JFK terminal that truly serves our customers is a wonderful milestone for JetBlue.”

“This is a post-9/11 design that accommodates the latest security requirements and creates an enjoyable and humane experience for passengers in this new era of air travel,” says Bill Hooper, AIA, Gensler’s managing principal for the project and an aviation security expert with the firm. “With a design focusing on efficiency of movement and operational ease, the new terminal evokes JetBlue’s commitment to customer service.”

Construction is slated to begin this fall, with a projected opening in 2008. Gensler is serving as building and interior architect; Ammann & Whitney, structural engineer; Arup, MEP engineer and design coordinator; and BNP Associates, baggage handling consultant.

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