ROCHESTER — The Greater Rochester International Airport was awarded $39.8 million in funding to activate the airport’s $63.4 million transformation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement this morning.
“This project will create new jobs and economic opportunities for the region. Our airport is a center of economic activity that showcases the best of our region to travelers and visitors, and this project will ensure that the airport reaches its full potential,” said Mayor Lovely Warren.
The airport will be a state-of-the-art transportation hub with sustainable design, an improved passenger experience and increased economic opportunity. The project will overhaul the aging infrastructure of the airport with a wide-scale redesign of the terminal building, incorporating sustainable elements such as solar panels and rainwater collection, new signage, enhanced security measures, new technology to improve accessibility, and premier shopping and dining options for a world-class passenger experience.
“Rochester’s transformed airport will be a world-class transportation destination that showcases the best of the Finger Lakes,” Governor Cuomo said. “Airports are the front doors to each region of our state, and they are critical to building on the momentum of our 21st century economy. Making investments in the future of upstate airports will provide new jobs and opportunities across New York, while helping attract residents, businesses, and visitors. This unprecedented transformation will equip the region with an airport of tomorrow and continue to push the Finger Lakes Forward.”
The funding is part of the first round of the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, first proposed by Governor Cuomo in his 2016 State of the State Address and later passed in the FY 2017 State Budget. The State called on airports to submit plans that:
1. Stimulate regional economic activity, job creation and business attraction;
2. Increase aircraft, gate, baggage and parking capacity and access;
3. Build state-of-the-art passenger amenities and security measures;
4. Include innovative design concepts and promote public-private partnerships with the ability to get it done quickly; and
5. Incorporate sustainable building and renewable energy technologies.
The Greater Rochester International Airport supports nearly 10,000 jobs in the Finger Lakes Region, and funding through this program will increase economic opportunity, expand retail options, and improve the overall passenger experience for a region undergoing continuing growth. The project will renovate, rehabilitate and revitalize the Greater Rochester International Airport’s facilities and infrastructure, transforming an aging facility into a world-class passenger experience at a state-of-the-art transportation hub. The specifics of the redesign plan announced today are outlined below and also available in the Governor’s PowerPoint presentation, available here.
