A $500,000 design contest has been announced to upgrade New York City’s two airports.
John F Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports have consistently been ranked the worst in the US for design, cleanliness and delays.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the competition at a press briefing in Queens with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
"This is the next phase for New York," he said.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airports, is allocating $8 billion to construction at the two facilities and Newark-Liberty International over the next 10 years.
Contestants will have to show expanded transportation options, improved amenities and larger footprints for both airports, Cuomo said.
The governor also wants to turn Stewart International Airport in Orange County, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Manhattan, into a regional cargo hub to take pressure off JFK.
Cuomo encouraged private-sector designers submitting proposals to the contest to give ‘the most creative, wildest thinking that you have.’
He wants the proposals to show LaGuardia with improved rail access and plans for high-speed ferry service from Manhattan and for JFK, a better transportation network and more hotels and dining options.
The Port Authority Board of Commissioners will select the best three designs for each airport, with finalists receiving as much as $500,000 to further develop their plans.
