Take A Sneak Peek At The $2B Transformation Of Newark Airport

NEWARK, NJ — A massive transformation at Newark Airport is expected to generate more than $4.6 billion in economic activity and $1.9 billion in wages… and the party is just getting started, officials say.

On Wednesday, a high-profile roster of New Jersey politicians and officials gathered for a “topping out” ceremony at Terminal One, a $2.7 billion renovation project at Newark Liberty International Airport. The day marked a major milestone in the timeline of the gargantuan effort, which is slated to be fully completed within three years.

When it’s done, Terminal One will feature “cutting-edge” digital technology and “superior dining and retail options,” as well as an area 20 percent larger than Terminal A, the outmoded terminal it is designed to replace, Port Authority officials said.

The new terminal is scheduled to partially open with 21 gates in 2021 and be fully operational with an additional 12 gates by 2022.

According to the Port Authority:

“Viewed as a ‘common use’ terminal, all gates in the new terminal will be utilized by multiple carriers, which will increase flexibility and efficiency and optimize operations. The new terminal will accommodate an estimated 13.6 million passengers annually on three levels.”

Designed and built by Tutor Perini/Parson, the project is expected to generate more than $4.6 billion in regional economic activity, create more than 23,000 job years and provide more than $1.9 billion in wages, officials said.

• See related article: How To Get Jobs, Contracts For $2.7B Project At Newark Airport

Newark Airport currently provides jobs for approximately 21,000 people directly employed on the premises. It contributes more than $27 billion in economic activity to the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region and generates nearly 190,000 total jobs and more than $9 billion in annual wages, according to the Port Authority.

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On Wednesday, Governor Phil Murphy said the new terminal is “crucial” to the millions of passengers and tons of cargo that move through the state.

Murphy also touted the next big leaps forward for the airport: the Terminal Two project, which replace Terminal B, and a complete revamp of the AirTrain system, including a walkway that will connect it to Amtrak and NJ Transit.

“Not only will Terminal One provide travelers with a fully functioning, 21st century air travel experience, additional investments in a modernized AirTrain and an all-new Terminal Two will make us more competitive on the world stage,” Murphy said.

Senate President Steve Sweeney said the Terminal One project is “putting people to work.”

“The new terminal will play an important role in support of New Jersey’s infrastructure, our shipping capacity and transportation logistics, which are so important to the state’s economy,” Sweeney said.

It’s not just Newark that stands to benefit from the new terminal, said Senator Joe Cryan, who represents Union County.

“This is an exciting time for Elizabeth and the entire area,” Cryan said. “Work on the project has created jobs and economic activity, and the new facility will generate permanent jobs and ongoing economic growth.”

According to a joint statement from Sweeney and Cryan, the new terminal is sorely overdue:

“Opened in 1973, Terminal A is the airport’s oldest terminal and it does not support modern airline operational requirements. It was designed to serve only nine million passengers a year. The Port Authority projects 14 million passengers will use Terminal One by 2032. The initial 33 gates will serve more than 13 million passengers a year and could be expanded to 45 gates, making room for more than 19 million passengers.”

A large part of the credit belongs to the workers, whose sweat equity made the whole project possible, officials said.

Phase one of the project employed nearly 300 union workers a day, 33 percent of which were ironworkers. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort, officials said; framework construction of Terminal One included the use of 10 cranes and 16,200 tons of steel fabrication to build the concourse and headhouse.

The result should be a source of “achievement and pride” for the workers, Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said.

Officials have been busy behind the scenes on administrative tasks, as well.

In July, the Port Authority reached an agreement with EWR Terminal One LLC, a 100-percent subsidiary of internationally recognized airport operator Munich Airport International, to oversee operations, maintenance and concession functions once the new terminal is complete.

• See related article: Port Authority Awards Crucial Contract For Newark Airport
• See related article: $2B Newark Airport Project Gets Big Chunk Of Funds Approved

Worried about parking? That’s been covered, too, officials said.

Last month, the Port Authority and its partner ConRac Solutions broke ground on a new parking facility that will complement the new terminal and service the entire airport. The new Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility will be constructed on a 19.31-acre site, with roughly 2,750 public parking spaces and 3,380 rental car spaces to support 10 rent-a-car brands.

“The Terminal One project is the largest design-build project in Garden State history, generating thousands of jobs and boosting our economy,” Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said. “Once completed, the new terminal will meet the growing needs of those who travel through our great state, making a more enjoyable experience.”

Wednesday’s announcement is part of the Port Authority’s commitment of more than $30 billion in public and private funding to transform the region’s three major airports into “true 21st century gateways,” officials said.

In addition to the construction of the new Terminal One at Newark Liberty, this commitment includes the complete redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport, whose first new concourse and gates are already open, and the comprehensive redevelopment of JFK International Airport, including two major new international terminals, with a groundbreaking expected later this year.

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