QUEENS — The historic TWA Flight Center at JFK will soon be transformed into a $265 million 505-room hotel complex, following Gov. Andrew Cuomo's announcement of the formal approval of a lease deal Thursday.
The Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners backed the 75-year lease agreement for the project with Flight Center Hotel LLC, a partnership of MCR Development, and JetBlue Airways Corporation.
JFK, according to Cuomo, is one of the few U.S. airports without an on-site hotel.
"This administration has committed to modernizing New York’s airports for the 21st century by creating gateways worthy of New York City and ensuring travelers have the services they need," Cuomo said in a statement.
“At the TWA Flight Center, we are able to meet those goals while also preserving its iconic design for passengers to enjoy for decades to come."
Designed by renowned Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen, the TWA Flight Center opened in 1962.
The building, which became a New York City landmark in 1994, served as TWA’s terminal until 2001, when it could no longer accommodate modern aircraft or passenger volumes.
Its uniquely curved concourse will undergo a $20 million renovation, according to Cuomo.
The new complex, which is expected to break ground next year and generate 3,700 jobs, is slated to open in 2018.
It will consist of two six-story towers and will also include 40,000 square feet of meeting space, restaurants, a spa and a 10,000-square-foot observation deck, Cuomo said.
