Queens Chamber honors top development projects
The terminal ceased operations in 2001, and was almost torn down in 1995 and 2005. Morse and his team of 7,000 people dealt with 22 government agencies, 14 preservationist groups and 178 consulting firms to put the project together. The 512-bed TWA Hotel is union built and operated.
One of the more remarkable aspects of the hotel is that it is completely off the city’s power grid. MCR Development built its own power plant for the project. Morse called the TWA Hotel the greenest building in New York City.
“We’re generating all of our own power,” he said. “We are really trying to do things differently here.”
The hotel will not only serve the traveling public, but the 40,000 people who work at JFK Airport and the local community as well. Morse said he subscribes to the European hotel model, in which hotels are a meeting and gathering place. “That’s what I want TWA to be,” he said.
The hotel has a 200,000-square-foot lobby, the largest hotel lobby in the world. It also has 500,000 square feet of meeting space and a rooftop infinity pool. In six to eight weeks, TWA Hotel is installing a giant ice skating rink in front of its airplane. Morse said soon, visitors will be able to rent a pair of skates or play a youth hockey game. He envisions ice dancers performing in front of stadium seating.
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun with this.”
They will also build a new tennis court next summer. The hotel will soon host ski jumping competitions. Morse has spoken to ESPN about doing some version of their ESPY Awards at the TWA Hotel. Morse wants the hotel to host a giant Christmas tree lighting and other holiday celebrations.
“We want this to be the Rockefeller Center of the Queens community,” he said. “Aren’t people tired of driving all the way into Manhattan? This is where it’s going on.”
With 4,000 parking spots on site and public transit access with the AirTrain and Long Island Rail Road, all roads “lead to Kennedy,” he said.
“For the last 50 years, airports have been just a means to an end, not anymore,” Morse said. “Now, airports are a place for people to gather, a community hub.”
