HELL’S KITCHEN — A day after unveiling a $3 billion plan to revamp the "ugly" Penn Station, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced the Jacob K. Javits Center will be getting its own $1 billion upgrade.
The redevelopment is set to “dramatically expand and improve” the convention center, which hosts large-scale events like New York Comic Con and the American International Toy Fair each year. The plan includes a new 60,000-square-foot ballroom that will be the “largest such space in the Northeast,” according to a statement from Cuomo’s office.
After construction, the current 2.1-million-square-foot center would expand to 3.3 million square feet.
“The Javits Center has long been an economic generator for this state, but we want to build and expand it to ensure it remains a premier venue for the next generation,” Cuomo said.
“Through one of the most aggressive development plans in the history of the state of New York, we are transforming one of our largest convention centers into an unparalleled, world-class venue," he added.
Upgrades — which the Javits Center itself will pay for — include a new truck facility, expected to improve traffic flow and make it safer for pedestrians to walk in the area, as well as a green roof terrace with views of the Hudson River.
The center will also install a 34,000-square-foot solar panel on the building and plans to become LEED Platinum certified.
The plan is expected to generate $393 million in new economic activity each year — a 22 percent jump from the center’s current activity — and create 4,000 full-time jobs, 2,000 part-time jobs and 3,100 construction jobs, the governor said.
Construction will begin toward the end of 2016.
“The new Javits Center will continue to garner millions in economic activity, create jobs and keep New York’s economic momentum moving forward,” Cuomo said.
