Long-vacant TWA Terminal could become boutique hotel.

Photo: John Bartelstone and Beyer Blinder Belle

In early 2011, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey issued a request for proposals to transform the Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Terminal at JFK Airport into the centerpiece of a hotel. A few big players – including Trump and Starwood – sent representatives to tour the vacant terminal, and now the Wall Street Journal (wsj subscription required) is reporting that hotel developer Andre Balazs is in talks to develop the site. Balazs developed the Mercer Hotel in SoHo and The Standard in the Meatpacking District, and according to the Journal’s sources, the Port Authority aims to finalize a deal with him in the next few months. If the project moves forward, Saarinen's iconic building could become the lobby (with restaurants and shopping) for a 150-room hotel to be built in the space between the old TWA terminal and the new (built in 2008) JetBlue building. Completed in 1962, the TWA Terminal has been vacant since American acquired TWA in 2001. It was added to America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2003.

Photo: Gwendolyn Horton for DWR

Comments

[Richard Fiske Bailey]

I'd stay there. Perfect for one day layovers to/from Europe. Stash your stuff, spend the day and evening in the city, taxi back and sleep in until next flight. Maybe they could have Tesla limos built for electric travel to the city. Brilliant!

[Joe Celko]

Has anyone posted floor plans and CGI models? A terminal is designed for fast, clean traffic flow; a hotel is designed to park it for a few days. Very different kinds of machines for living, C^u ne?

[Todd]

I remember going through this termminal when I was a very young person. It seems its use as a hotel would be very limited,either as a very high end stop over for the very few, or for my interest since it is iconic, a better use would be as a museum combo cafe,tb