FORT WORTH, Texas: American Airlines, in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports, today announced a $125 million commercial redevelopment program for Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The project will feature a new Great Hall and is expected to bring more than 60 new shopping and restaurant offerings to the terminal. With an emphasis on locally owned and diverse businesses that will create economic opportunities for the community, the new program will showcase New York’s world-renowned culinary scene and establish a unique sense of place for travelers.
“We look forward to working with our project partners, the Port Authority and the local community to deliver a transformative dining and shopping experience that represents the dynamic New York region,” said American’s Vice President of Airport Affairs and Facilities Amanda Zhang. “We’re committed to ensuring a world-class experience at Terminal 8 and this commercial redevelopment will further elevate the travel journey for our customers and our oneworld® partners.”
Following the recent completion of a $400 million expansion of Terminal 8, the commercial redevelopment will further enhance the customer experience at the terminal with a complete redesign and expansion of the concessions program, including dining, retail, duty-free shopping, performance space and new digitally enabled experiences for American’s customers.
Terminal 8 has also become a world-renowned gateway for American’s oneworld partners. Within the past year, British Airways, Iberia and Japan Airlines relocated operations and Qantas returned service to Terminal 8.
“This is another tremendous milestone in our extensive JFK Redevelopment Program,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We are excited for the continued transformation to bring customers a world-class travel experience, boost employment opportunities for our local communities, and provide a pathway for local and minority businesses to propel their business as a design, construction or concession partner.”
“Visitors from around the world will get their first taste of what our region has to offer as soon as they step into JFK’s Terminal 8, which, like all of our new airport terminals, will feature a wide range of local dining and shops,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Local businesses help us create a sense of place unique to the region.”
American selected JFK T8 Innovation Partners, a joint venture led by URW, to lead the redevelopment. URW is an owner, developer and operator of sustainable, high-quality real estate assets across Europe and the U.S. Also joining the T8 Partners team, with a 30 percent equity stake, is Phoenix Infrastructure Group, a minority-owned, Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)-certified investment firm focused on critical infrastructure projects; and Holt Construction, one of New York’s premier construction management firms with experience in more than 100 aviation projects at airports across the country, including the expansion of Terminal 8, where Holt exceeded its 30 percent Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation goal.
“It is an honor to partner with American Airlines and the Port Authority to help transform JFK and bring major benefits to New Yorkers and travelers from around the world,” said URW Airports CEO Dany Nasr. “We’re committed to ensuring Terminal 8’s concession program celebrates New York’s incredible diversity and represents the best of New York with a lineup that spotlights local, small and minority-owned businesses alongside global icons.”
“We are thrilled and honored to be a part of this historic infrastructure project at the world-class gateway JFK Airport,” said Phoenix Infrastructure Group CEO Jeremy Ebie. “The redevelopment of Terminal 8 will raise the bar in both delivering a next-generation customer experience and in creating a new and truly impactful model for engaging with local communities in achieving the ultimate goal of building opportunity and sustaining long-term benefits for its citizens.”
Big opportunities for the Big Apple
The connection to the Queens, New York City and New York State communities will be at the forefront of the redevelopment, from design and construction to operating opportunities for local business owners. With the expansion of the concessions program, the project will create more than 300 new concessions jobs at Terminal 8.
To lower the barriers of entry into the airport industry for locally owned small businesses, T8 Partners will launch a small business accelerator program for Queens and Locally Based Enterprises that will provide technical assistance and innovative leasing approaches with low risk. T8 Partners is also committed to achieving the Port Authority goal of 30 percent M/WBE participation in the design and construction of concession spaces and 30 percent Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) for concession operations.
With sustainability as another fundamental element to the redevelopment, T8 Partners has partnered with The Green Restaurant Association to deliver a food and beverage program with brands that value sustainable business practices and get 100 percent of all eligible tenants to become Certified Green Restaurants.
To learn more about the project, visit anewjfk.com.
