"New Yorkers expect action, and the expansion of the Javits Center through the design-build process is delivering results in a safe, streamlined fashion that will generate a new wave of economic activity for the Empire State," Cuomo said. "With so many jobs dependent on large-scale events hosted here, the JavitsCenter has become one of New York's most important economic assets, and this expansion will ensure it remains the nation's busiest convention center for generations to come.”
The expanded Javits Center will feature 50 percent more front-of-house and back-of-house areas, including new exhibit and meeting room spaces, a glass-enclosed rooftop pavilion and a truck marshaling facility that will accelerate event operations and reduce traffic congestion. Thanks to the design-build process and proper planning and coordination, the project is on-time and on-budget, with substantial completion by March 2021.
The expansion project's steel and concrete superstructure is fully installed, and all concrete and steel work is expected to be finished by March 2020, exactly three years after the project's groundbreaking. In total, 13,940 tons of steel have been fabricated. Upon completion, the expanded Javits Center will feature more than 200,000 square feet of new meeting room and pre-function space, including a 54,000-square-foot special event space — the largest event space of its kind in the Northeast. All of the new exhibition and meeting spaces will be equipped with the latest technology in lighting fixtures, heating and cooling systems and wireless connectivity. The Javits Center will feature 500,000 contiguous square feet of event space.
Spearheaded by Cuomo and Empire State Development, the project will create up to 6,000 new jobs, generate nearly $400 million in additional annual economic activity and attract more events from around the world, including business conferences, product launches and fundraising galas. The project is part of Cuomo's statewide plan to upgrade critical infrastructure and transportation facilities to spur job creation and economic activity.
As part of the expansion project, a four-level truck marshaling facility will be built, relocating more than 20,000 event-related trucks off nearby streets annually while reducing area congestion and pollution. The addition of 27 new loading docks also will increase the efficiency of the move-in and move-out periods for events, creating more room on the calendar for additional events. Building on the success of the convention center's 6.75-acre green roof, a one-acre rooftop farm, the largest of its kind in Manhattan, will be constructed, and up to 40,000 pounds of produce will be grown annually and incorporated into meals served at the venue. Upon completion, the project is expected to be certified LEED Silver by the U.S Green Building Council, the same certification as the existing building.
A joint venture of Lendlease and Turner is leading the construction of the expansion project with design services provided by tvsdesign. At the height of project activity, more than 3,000 construction workers will be working on the construction site at the north end of the campus. Major highlights of the construction process so far include:
