One of the most famous icons of mid-century modernism, the TWA Flight Center, beautifully restored over the last six years, is on the National Register of Historic Places, in USA.
One of the last times I had the opportunity to go through the TWA terminal was way to LA in 1998, had missed the flight after being waiting in a long queue, and after arrive to the airport from Manhattan on a slow Subway, traveling across the city from my hotel in the 109 St. and very early. The stewardess who waited on me was extremely friendly (now, Lowcost lines between his cuts have also reduced friendliness) and I could catch the next flight to Los Angeles. At other times, I returned to cross the terminal again, always looking sideways, thinking that this was a special place, but thinking it was timeless.
José Juan Barba
A few weeks ago, Archtober sponsor Openhousenewyork (OHNY) invited guests to tour the midcentury modern Flight Center in all its nostalgic, abandoned splendor. Some excited attendees even paid tribute to Trans World Airlines’s glamorous mark in aviation history by arriving costumed in TWA-inspired attire. The Flight Center, designed by the Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen but completed in 1962 after his death, served passengers for four decades until it was deemed impractical in accordance with evolving, heightened security measures in 2002. It was declared a New York City historical landmark in 1994, and inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
While the new JetBlue terminal T5 at New York's JFK airport, designed by Gensler, partially encircles Saarinen’s terminal and sits adjacent to the Flight Center, the original head house remains empty. The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey had opened a development project to bids from real estate and hotel developers in 2011, but contracts fell through shortly after, and the future of the project remains unresolved.
Earlier this year, contrary to belief that the disused terminal may be approaching its last hurrah, the Port Authority announced plans for continued restoration by again soliciting bids from developers. Prior to revealing the project’s prospects, the Port Authority dedicated an estimated $20 million toward initial renovations. Possible additions may include hotel towers, a restaurant, and a lounge, and the Trump Organization, Marriott and the Related Companies, and Yotel are rumored to be possible contenders in the latest stage of the terminal’s development. The empty terminal’s current annual operational cost sits at $2 million (a steady split between security and operational expenses).
Arquitecto.- Eero Saarinen, 1962; Restauración, Beyer Blinder Belle, en curso.
