Action on the wildest project in the borough is set to begin shortly, about two years after its approval and numerous reports.
Investment firm Racebrook is looking to complete its animal handling facility at John F. Kennedy Airport, named “The Ark at JFK,” in a year, with construction commencing in a couple of months.
Although a specific date was not given, in an interview with The Courier, Aaron Perl of Racebrook, who is overseeing the $48 million development, said the company is a few months away from completing preparations to begin building the world’s first animal terminal, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.
The 178,000-square-foot project, which consists of a main center and a 63,515-square-foot cargo handling facility, will be constructed at a 14.4-acre site in the airport’s vacant Building 78. The building will not be demolished, but revitalized, which will cut down on construction time.
The Ark will provide services to board, kennel, quarantine, import and export up to 70,000 domestic and wild animals annually. There will also be a veterinary clinic.
Photo courtesy of Temple Grandin Livestock Handling Systems and ARK Development, LLC
Approved by the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey since 2012, the project is being designed by Gensler and GH2 Architects.
The facility is expected to create more than 150 jobs, and generate $138 million in rent for the Port Authority over the 20-year lease.
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