October 18th Is Your LAST CHANCE to See the TWA Flight Terminal In All Its Glory
If you’re an architectural purist who’s somehow managed to miss exploring Eero Saarinen’s masterpiece at JFK in person all these year, you won’t want to miss out on what will foreseeably be your last chance to experience the structure as it was meant to be. For one day only, the iconic building will open to the public for FREE for just four hours as part of the annual Open House New York Weekend festival.
As written in an OHNY Weekend press release, Sunday, October 18th, “is likely to be the last time the TWA Flight Center will be open to the public in its current form.” As 6sqft previously reported, the terminal will soon be redeveloped into a 505-room hotel by MCR Development and JetBlue.
“The TWA Flight Center is not only one of OHNY Weekend’s most popular sites, but it is also a New York City treasure,” said Gregory Wessner, executive director of Open House New York. “We have been honored to be able to work with the Port Authority since 2011 to allow the public access, and look forward to opening its doors to the public once last time before it is reimagined as a hotel.”
While no significant changes will be made to the interior, the project will include a renovation that will outfit the space as a lobby for the new hotel set to rise behind the Saarinen gem. The design of what is aptly being called “The Flight Center Hotel” is being spearheaded by Lubrano Ciavarra Architects in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, the firm which has been managing the restoration of the building over the years.
The site will open promptly at 11 a.m. on Sunday, October 18th, closing at 3 p.m. Access is free without reservations, but if you want to ensure your admission, our recommendation would be to show up very, very early.
First three images courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners
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