John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York

New American Airlines Terminal

American Airlines retained DMJM Aviation to prepare construction documents for a new two-million-square-foot, 55-gate terminal to replace the nearly 50-year-old Terminals 8 and 9 at JFK. The airside civil engineering portion of the work covered over 86 acres of portland cement concrete and asphalt pavements.

During the conceptual design validation phase, DMJM Aviation completed the concept and reduced the cost of the facility by $17 million. Working with American Airlines’ managing general contractor firm, construction proceeded on a fast track basis requiring 34 separate work packages.

Key project facts

• From a central corporate office in Manhattan, more than 5,000 construction drawings were produced in an 11-month period, utilizing 300 architects and engineers in six offices across the United States
• Early site development work was started within 30 days of DMJM Aviation’s notice to proceed
• The project involved complete demolition and redevelopment of apron and taxiway pavements, utilities, and terminal facilities within the leasehold of American Airlines  
•  At the completion of design, key DMJM Aviation staff were moved to the JFK job site to provide program management support services to American Airlines
• The construction concept is fast track, allowing civil work, foundations, and structure work to proceed concurrent with design completion of interior work
•  The new terminal incorporates 37 widebody domestic and international aircraft gates and 18 regional jet gates