LaGuardia’s Terminal B overhaul is officially complete

Passenger facilities at LaGuardia Airport’s overhauled Terminal B are officially complete, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York announced Jan. 27. The renovated multibillion dollar terminal has already been open for business. That includes a new skybridge that makes movement to gates in the western concourse easier. It’s the airport’s second new skybridge.

Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and other local officials spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The overhaul cost $4 billion and features 35 gates, a new parking garage and “stunning” art and modern amenities, Hochul said.
In December, Terminal B received the prestigious UNESCO Prix Versailles architecture and design award in the airport category.
The terminal’s western pedestrian skybridge opens to passengers on Friday. It’s the project’s last major construction milestone, according to developer LaGuardia Gateway Partners. It makes LaGuardia the first airport in the world with dual skybridges, according to the developer and the governor.

The western skybridge spans 482 feet (147 meters), connecting the western concourse to the arrivals and departures hall. The eastern skybridge opened in June 2020.

Passengers walking in the western skybridge will have views of the Manhattan skyline. A restaurant with an outdoor terrace and views of Manhattan is planned, according to LaGuardia Gateway Partners.

The skybridges helped keep the original terminal operating during construction because they were built over the old facility.
All of Terminal B’s temporary walkways will be out of service by Saturday, a news release from the governor’s office said.

Cotton added that the project has awarded over $2 billion to minority and women-owned businesses, and that more than $800 million has been awarded in contracts to local businesses in the Queens borough of New York City, where the airport is located.
More than 600 local residents have also been placed in jobs at LaGuardia and more efforts are underway to create more jobs for community members, Cotton said.

Renovations on other parts of LaGuardia Airport are still ongoing. The official completion of the airport’s Terminal C, another $4 billion project, is expected sometime in spring 2022, Cotton said. cnn.com