New York City’s conveniently-located but cramped and outmoded LaGuardia Airport finally broke ground yesterday for its $4 billion renaissance as a modern facility, leaving behind its era as what Vice Pres. Biden once derided as a “third world facility.”
Biden and NY Governor Andrew Cuomo are among those in the picture above tossing symbolic spadefuls of earth. The project is scheduled to be fully open by 2021, with parts opening sooner, as they are completed.
The key part of the plan is a complete relocation of the central terminal building to space along the highway that passes the airport, allowing more construction room and expanded runways. The space is now occupied by parking lots and other facilities.
The new terminal will have 35 gates and modern facilities; Delta’s two terminals at the field will also be upgraded. There are plans for the airport’s first direct rail service, and ferry service will be added as well. The airport is on Flushing Bay, and was home in the 1930s to Pan Am’s flying-boat Clipper services.
