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Can Big Investment In JFK Airport Also Translate Into Community Improvements?
By Danielle Douglas
By Danielle Douglas
Knowledge is Power
Many of you may have attended the Port Authority JFK Redevelopment meeting that took place on Wednesday, July 18th at the Robert Ross Family Center. If not, here is a synopsis of the information that was provided to the attendees.
At this time, the Port Authority has selected two companies, Mott MacDonald and Grimshaw to do the engineering and master planning. Another organization, HNTB, has been selected to provided Program and Project Management.
All of these organizations are mandated to have a 30% utilization goal of Minority/Woman Business Enterprises (M/WBEs).
In addition, the PA Board has entered an Agreement with Aero JFK for construction of a new state-of-the-art cargo handling facility. The Board has authorized taxiway upgrades to allow larger cargo planes north side access.
The Port Authority is also having active discussions with the terminal operators (Terminal 1 Group, Delta Air Lines, JFK International Air Terminal, JetBlue Airways, British Airways, and American Airlines) in regards to redevelopment projects. They also will have a 30% utilization goal of MWBEs.
What does this all mean for you?
The Port Authority's objective is to:
• Maximize Economic Opportunities by providing opportunities for MWBEs, having a local business preference for contract opportunities, building the capacity of MWBEs through training, providing jobs for local residents, and developing the community.
Opportunities for MWBEs
For MWBEs, there will be a focus on Professional Services such as Engineering, Architecture, Financial, and Legal alongside Construction.
If a business is not yet certified, there will be certification workshops in the community for businesses who would like to get MWBE certified.
There will be an opportunity to utilize Local Business Preferences throughout the different phases of the redevelopment. There will be a need for professional services, support services, and other ancillary needs in the Construction Phase. And in the Operating Phase, there will be opportunities for retail concessions, support services, and etc.
In addition, there will be regular events to connect local businesses with developers and contractors for contract opportunities.
To assist in the capacity building and training of MWBEs , there will be Mentoring programs to connect growing MWBEs and local businesses to established firms as well as connecting businesses to existing NY State and PANYNJ programs, and providing assistance with access to capital.
Jobs for Local Residents
Quarterly job fairs will take place with a preference for local hiring. The Port Authority will also partner with the Council for Airport Opportunity to explore partnerships with local community base organizations, and provide a path for Apprenticeships and Scholarships.
• Mitigation of Environment Impacts will be recognized by being sensitive to longstanding environmental concerns during construction, utilizing LEED certified terminals and green construction methods, improving roadways to reduce traffic congestion, and installing noise/vibration methods as needed during construction.
In addition, JFK will remain slot-controlled, runway capacity will not be added, environmental reviews will be done for each project to develop strategies to mitigate any potential environment impacts.
