Planes, trains and development deals: Revisiting JFK's AirTrain and Airport City

The wheels of the gods grind slowly but the original Airport City concept (an airport integrated economic region) facilitated by Greater Jamaica Development Corp. (GJDC) surrounding JFK's AirTrain Station in Downtown Jamaica is poised for takeoff. The change agents for the revitalization of Jamaica's Airport City or Village are two private investments; a 26-story, 240 room Hilton Garden Inn and a 100,000 s/f mixed-use retail and residential development. Both pioneering projects, due to break ground in 2015, are located directly across the street from the AirTrain/LIRR/Subway transit hub with a combined investment value of $279 million. Supporting the redevelopment is a variety of public improvements. GJDC, in coordination with NYC Economic Development Corp. and city, state and federal agencies, has been working on over $90 million of infrastructure projects. Combined, these improvements create an appropriate public setting dramatically affecting the function, growth and look of Downtown Jamaica; essentially laying the ground work for an Airport Village of retail, hospitality, office and housing. As you may remember, JFK's AirTrain Station in the heart of Downtown Jamaica, is considered part of JFK Airport. The light-rail system began operating in 2003 and connects Jamaica to JFK's six terminals. Governor Andrew Cuomo's February 10 press release points out that the AirTrain to JFK Airport attained record high ridership for the 10th consecutive year in 2014 with approximately 6.5 million riders. This is a 250% increase since its first full year of operations in 2004. In 2007, New York City council approved the rezoning plan to increase the development potential in the area. The plan included 368 blocks and updated zoning regulations that hadn't been meaningfully addressed in nearly a half a century. As a result, GJDC now has 4.3 million of developable space in several assembled sites, rezoned for mixed-use and high-rise projects with an FAR (floor area ratio) of 12 at the core of the station area. While the recession of 2008-2010 dampened investors' appetites, GJDC diligently continued its pre-development work and by 2012 developers and lenders returned with increased enthusiasm. As an added boost to these efforts, in late 2014, governor Cuomo announced a modernization and revitalization plan for New York's airports including JFK - "bringing them up to 21st Century standards for service, access and amenities." Expanding on this initiative was the announcement of a Master Plan Design Competition for JFK which calls for the incorporation of potential 'Aerotropolis' or 'Airport City' concepts, either on or near JFK. They are to include dining, entertainment and retail services, office/medical complexes, and hotels and conference/training centers which take advantage of the airport's status and location. It is hoped that some of these Airport City concepts will take root in the incomplete and underserviced AirTrain building itself. Enhancing this facility and incorporating services for domestic and foreign travelers and airport employees should be included in the revitalization plans. The development of an Airport City is a process and a strategy, not a project. Indeed, the wheels of the gods may grind slowly - but they turn. As developers, investors and major tenants and businesses increasingly look to Jamaica's classic transit hub for investment, relocation and expansion we will witness an Airport City expeditiously unfold over the next five to ten years. John Markunas is a marketing and business development consultant for Greater Jamaica Development Corp., Jamaica, N.Y.