b'64 JFKCARGOcompleted before that could begin. Utilities were removed and replaced, and two functionally obsolete cargo buildings no longer in operation had to be removed. Due to their age, demolition required hazardous material remediation. Crews also relocated a large-scale sewer interceptor in coordination with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Its no easy feat to construct a project of this size and scale at an airport as busy and active as JFK, Russell notes. Extra coordination was needed during design, phasing and construction because crews had to work near an active runway and other construction sites. There were The new 350,000-square-foot facility includes coolersseveral passenger-related terminal for pharmaceuticals and other perishable goods.developments and an adjacent taxiway project going on at the same time, Like many other airports, JFKoperations close to the off-airportCaton recalls. Mobilizing crews, didnt originally have a long-termcommunity that supports cargo activitybuilding materials, equipment and development plan for cargo operations.at JFK would allow for the mostlarge machinery required care and Carriers constructed facilities as- operational efficiency and set the stagecooperation with airport operations needed over the years, without muchfor future expansion. Building 260 isstaff, the air traffic control tower and holistic planning for the future. Notthe first of many new facilities to helpother project teams. surprisingly, this led to a fragmentedachieve those goals. operating environment. Today, airportsTiming was an additional hurdle, as The redevelopment strategygroundbreaking and early construction have to be a little more strategic, saysconsolidates operations to the Caton. To that end, the Port Authorityof the new cargo center took place existing Cargo Area D, but multipleduring the COVID-19 pandemic. determined that consolidating cargoenabling projects needed to be We were able to navigate through this unprecedented challenge due to the dedicated commitment of our team, the Port Authority, Worldwide Flight Services and the JFK Airport community who supported the project every step of the way, says Russell.The PaybackRealterm emphasizes the value of early communication with the Port Authority and airport community to align key goals. When planning an air cargo project of this size at an airport like JFK, we think its important to remember that the airport is an economic engine for the communities that surround it, Russell says. Importantly, the new cargo center and how it was developed are intended to set the tone for broader air cargo WWW.FODCHECK.COM | 844-200-3637 modernization at JFK. Innovations in September 2025AirportImprovement.com'