Port Authority Approves Revised Lease to Expand JFK International Airport Truck Plaza

• On-Airport Truck Parking Lot Will Be Expanded to Accommodate up to 150 Trucks, Tripling Capacity and Adding Concessions, Restrooms and Truck Wash Facilities
• Expanded Parking Plaza to Reduce Impact of Idling Vehicles on Airport Roads and in Local Communities
• Leaseholder to Pay to Demolish an Obsolete Decades-Old Building and Conduct Environmental Clean Up
•  Expanded Truck Parking Facility Will Adhere to the Port Authority’s Sustainability Goals, Including Electric Vehicle Charging, Zero-Waste and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions
• Participation by MWBE- and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses During Construction to Reflect Port Authority Goals

The Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today approved a lease supplement with JFK AP LLC, the operator of a truck parking, fueling, and concessions facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport that will triple the number of the facility’s truck parking spaces to accommodate the growth in cargo volume at the airport and help reduce the number of trucks parking on residential streets and airport roads.

Expanding the parking facility was identified as a priority for the Port Authority due to a surge in online commerce that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cargo volume at the airport in 2022 increased by 10 percent compared with 2019, prompting an increase in trucking activity. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of summonses written to trucks parking illegally on community streets and airport roads has tripled. Under the revised lease, the long-vacant and obsolete Building 110 will be demolished, creating enough room to park an additional 100 trucks.

New York International Airport was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport on December 24, 1963, following resolutions by Mayor Robert F. Wagner, the City Council, and the Commissioners of the Port Authority. The present name commemorates President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), who was assassinated 60 years today. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/idlewild-park/history

The current Airport Truck Plaza includes a food court, convenience store, gas station, electric vehicle charging stations and space for up to 50 trucks for staging and parking. In addition to truck drivers, the plaza is frequented by airport employees, taxi drivers and for-hire-vehicle drivers. Under the revised lease, the JFK Airport Plaza has committed to invest a minimum of $14 million for the demolition of Building 110 to make way for a larger truck parking facility, which will also include a truck wash, more electric vehicle charging stations, and a new concessions building. This new development will complement the existing plaza. The revised lease also requires the operator to refurbish and modernize the existing public restrooms to create a more attractive and welcoming space. The length of the lease has been extended through 2043.

“Revising this lease is a win for the community that has seen an increase in trucks parking and idling on their streets, it’s a win for the environment and it’s a win for the drivers who help to keep our region moving,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “This is another example of how the Port Authority has been working closely with our neighbors to improve conditions for the community and connect local residents and businesses to the economic opportunities that modern new airports present.”

“Whether it’s at JFK International, Newark Liberty or LaGuardia Airport, the Port Authority has been laser-focused on working in lockstep with the needs of the communities surrounding our facilities,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “From creating economic opportunities to lessening the impact of airport construction, we are reimagining our airports as places that will become true community assets.”

Providing parking for trucks that would otherwise idle on local streets and airport roads is in itself a community and environmental benefit. In addition, the revised lease requires that the facility reflects the Port Authority sustainability goals of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by including electric-vehicle charging stations, zero-waste procedures and other technologies that will reduce emissions.

The revised lease also requires that the parking and concessions operator makes a good faith effort to attain Port Authority goals for participation by minority (MBE) and women-owned business enterprises (WBE) as well as service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (SDVB) as follows: 20 percent MBE, 10 percent WBE and 3 percent SDVB with respect to all procurement, construction and subcontracting opportunities.

“This initiative not only ensures a significant boost in operational efficiency, but is also beneficial to our community,” said U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks of New York. “The approved lease revision takes a pivotal role in fostering the creation of both direct and indirect employment opportunities. Prioritizing minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE) and local contracting establishes avenues for widespread community involvement, guaranteeing a multitude of advantages. This comprehensive endeavor is dedicated to fortifying a resilient, sustainable, and community-centric transportation hub, ultimately elevating the overall well-being of our district.”

“With parking at a premium and both improving street safety and air quality being of critical importance in southeast Queens, the tripling the truck parking capacity at JFK Airport is a massive victory for the families who call these communities home,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “I know the Port Authority is committed to ensuring the communities around JFK Airport are some of the biggest beneficiaries of its $20 billion redevelopment, and efforts like this are vital in support of that mission. I look forward to working with the Port Authority and others to continue to deliver for southeast Queens families.”

“I am pleased that the Port Authority Board of Commissioners has given approval to a revised lease, paving the way for a transformative expansion of the John F. Kennedy International Airport Truck Plaza,” said New York state Assemblywoman Alicia L. Hyndman. “The expanded on-airport truck parking lot, designed to accommodate up to 150 trucks, will triple its current capacity, providing a more robust infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the industry. This reflects our dedication to responsible development, environmental stewardship, and sustainable urban planning.  One of our key objectives with this expansion is to mitigate the impact of idling vehicles on airport roads and in local communities. By providing an expanded parking plaza, it will reduce congestion and enhance traffic flow, contributing to a more seamless and efficient transportation network.”

“Expanding truck parking at the John F. Kennedy International Airport Plaza is a critical step that will reduce the negative health impacts of truck parking and idling on the communities surrounding the airport,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Southeast Queens neighborhoods should benefit from investments in the redevelopment of JFK International Airport, and the expanded plaza will support both local residents and truckers alike. The Council has taken legislative actions to curb illegal truck parking on residential communities, including the passage of critical bills to redesign the city’s truck route network and create off-site parking for tractor trailers. I thank the Port Authority for their efforts and responsiveness to concerns from our communities.”

“Illegal truck parking turns residential communities in southeast Queens into lots for tractor trailers,” said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, chair of the committee on transportation and infrastructure. “Additional truck parking is essential not only for our communities, but truckers as well, who lack practicable overnight parking options. I appreciate the Port Authority’s efforts to expand available spaces for truck parking at JFK, and I am grateful for the work of residents like members of the Queens Community Task Force for Solutions to Illegal Truck Parking, who continue to advocate for solutions to this ongoing problem.”

“I am thrilled to see the Port Authority’s commitment to progress! Expanding JFK’s Truck Plaza not only enhances operational capacity but also minimizes the impact on our local communities,” said New York City Council Member Nantasha Williams. “A triple win with upgraded facilities, sustainability focus, and inclusive construction practices. Kudos to the Board for steering towards a brighter, more community-conscious future.”

“I am thrilled to witness the Port Authority’s bold initiative to address the longstanding challenge of truck parking scarcity in the southeast Queens community,” said James Johnson, executive director of the Gateway JFK Business Improvement District. “This scarcity not only impacts our valued commercial tenants and retail businesses but also resonates with the everyday lives of our residential homeowners. The expansion of the JFK International Airport Truck Plaza is a testament to the Port Authority’s commitment to finding robust solutions that acknowledge and value the intricate balance between industrial demands and the well-being of our communities. This is a proactive step in the right direction that will not only alleviate immediate concerns but also contribute significantly to the overall enhancement of our district’s economic and residential landscape, benefiting over 150 homeowners and 500 businesses within the business improvement district who have been adversely affected due to the lack of proper truck parking facilities.”

Redeveloping JFK Airport in Lockstep with the Local Community
In 2018, the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council was formed. It is co-chaired by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and is composed of elected officials, community boards, business and nonprofit organizations, civic organizations, and clergy leaders from the targeted local communities of southeast Queens, southwest Queens, the Rockaways, and western portions of Nassau County.

Since its inception, the council has been working with the Port Authority and its private partners to expand community outreach efforts and develop community-focused programs, ensuring that this ambitious project solicits ongoing feedback from local stakeholders and provides meaningful opportunities for local businesses, minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE), students and jobseekers. This includes programming to advance the Port Authority’s commitment to a 30 percent MWBE contracting goal in all categories of work, and a special focus on opportunities for local businesses across all aspects of the redevelopment of JFK redevelopment, including terminal projects, which will be built by union labor under project-labor agreements.

Other community development initiatives prioritized by the council focus on job opportunities and workforce development programs for residents, small business outreach and development, and educational programming for local students. Specifically, the Council for Airport Opportunity Rockaway Career Center is a job recruiting and referral program to match qualified job seekers with jobs in construction and airport operations focused on the Far Rockaway community. The Office of Second Chance Employment helps connect formerly incarcerated individuals and others with past involvement in the criminal justice system to jobs associated with both airport construction and airport operations. The Institute of Concessions is a specialized training program offering extensive training and mentoring to small, local, and diverse businesses intended to increase the number of local and diverse airport concessionaires. The Aviation and Aeronautics Academy provides an aviation-focused weekend and summer education and enrichment program in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for up to 700 students from grades 1 through 12 annually. In partnership with CUNY York College, it will introduce students from communities surrounding JFK to career opportunities in aviation, airport management and aerospace technology.