TWA Hotel at JFK Airport: 01/27/23

[jamesdeluxe]

For those of you too young to remember, Trans World Airlines, usually referred to by its acronym TWA, was one of the original U.S. "legacy carriers" along with American, United, Delta, and Pan Am. Founded in 1930, it laid claim to a sometimes successful, occasionally groundbreaking, and oftentimes tortuous history. If you want to learn more, the Wikipedia page has a good chronological summary and if you really want to go down the rabbit hole, take a look at this article with dozens of gorgeous advertisements.

I used to be an occasional TWA flyer in the 80s and a semi-regular in the 90s. It was by far my favorite of the big airlines because the service was good; they were (anecdotally) always on time; they never lost my luggage; and I liked its history. Another reason was that after flying TWA three times to Europe in 12 months, that qualified me for first-class upgrades over the next three years. I only took advantage of it a handful of times, but it made a big impression (and made me not want to go back to coach class!).

I flew several times through their TWA Flight Center in the late 90s -- what's been called their cathedral to the propeller age from Finnish/American architect Eero Saarinen at JFK -- however, by that time the terminal was looking a bit ragged and after TWA was swallowed up by American in the early 00s, I suspected that it was only a matter of time before they tore it down.

Fast forward to 2019 and the structure was reopened and flanked by a 500-room hotel. As a part-time aviation geek, I'd been threatening to go for a visit for the past few years but it never panned out. I finally made it happen before my flight out of JFK last night. If you're a fan of the early to mid-60s, this place is for you. As John Travolta said in Pulp Fiction, "it feels like a wax museum with a pulse!"

Approaching on foot from the JFK Air Train:

There are signs literally all over the airport directing you to the hotel.

The 60s time warp begins:

You walk right in front of the old-school departures board. I love when they update the listings every few minutes.

Sunken Lounge:

Second Floor

Tunnel to JetBlue Terminal 5

Drinks With A View

Looking out over the 1958 Constellation (aka "Connie"), now a lounge

Here's the Connie story:

Lots of 60s callouts:

Apparently, this is a big hit during happy hour and parties:

I assume that these are the bathrobes in the hotel rooms -- and you'll get charged (like a mini-bar) if you walk off with one:

10,000 square feet of workout space:

 

[jasonwx]

Love the report!!!!!!
I love the Connie too..What a iconic bird....Tab!!!

 

[WillowKat]

Check out their fake skating rink?

 

[Harvey]

James that is MOST EXCELLENT. It's a new category I just invented.

 

[gorgonzola]

Very cool James, looks to be in much better shape than last time I was there in the mid 80’s. I also dig his his rink at Yale

 

[Brownski]

I attended a general sales meeting there right after it first opened. Pretty cool place

 

[tirolski]

I finally made it happen before my flight out of JFK last night. ... As John Travolta said in Pulp Fiction, "it feels like a wax museum with a pulse!"

Have a safe flight JD.
Watched most of it again last week.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I attended a general sales meeting there right after it first opened. Pretty cool place

When I arrived around 3 pm, I'd guess that there were maybe 15 non-employees there and it felt empty. I started wondering if the place was always like that and whether it was sustainable; however, by 4:30, a hundred people with suitcases were checking in and the lounges/restaurants had filled up. I asked an employee and she said that the 500 bedrooms are more often than not full so apparently enough people are interested in the early-60s culture + aviation angle to make it work.

I wonder who had the original version to save, renovate, and repurpose it like that -- and how much it cost? I remember in the late-00s that JetBlue wanted to integrate the TWA building as a show piece for their then-new terminal but it never happened.

 

[MarzNC]

I wonder who had the original version to save, renovate, and repurpose it like that -- and how much it cost?

Thanks for the report and pics! I went looking for more info . . .

There is a pool on the roof. Can lounge and watch planes in the air. In the winter, it's heated to 95 degrees . . . giant hot tub.

TWA Flight Center Restoration - Projects - Beyer Blinder Belle

TWA Flight Center Restoration

www.beyerblinderbelle.com

"
BBB's restoration of The TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport prepares an icon of modern architecture for future adaptive reuse.

Designed by Eero Saarinen and opened in 1962, the TWA Flight Center is a symbol of both the expressive idealism of the 1960s and of Saarinen's innovative genius. Over time, the landmark terminal was subjected to a series of compromising alterations and additions and deferred crucial maintenance. In 2002, BBB embarked upon stabilization of the building, rendering it secure and weather-tight. Concurrently, a strategy for restoration and redevelopment was formulated based upon extensive research, interviews with surviving members of the original design team, and the analysis of archival materials. Central objectives of the restoration included removal of inappropriate exterior additions; repair of failing concrete and restoration of the historic landside entrance; and restoration of the predominant public areas of the Terminal, including the main entrance, the lower and upper lobbies and the flight tubes. BBB has restored the exterior of the building and completed the primary interior spaces, addressing many important life safety concerns such as smoke evacuation modeling, detection, annunciation, and egress. Returned to its finely-detailed glory, the building is prepared for reuse as a hotel, restaurant and meeting center complex."

July 2019

How the TWA Terminal, a midcentury icon, became one of NYC’s coolest new hotels

Rarely does a hotel launch drum up so much fanfare, but then again, the TWA Hotel isn’t any old project

ny.curbed.com

" . . .
As the Port Authority considered ways to expand JFK in the ’90s, there was talk of demolishing the Flight Center, but the agency was eventually dissuaded of that rather unpopular idea. The building’s fate was cemented in 1994, when it became a New York City landmark. “This is perhaps the quintessential modern form, expressing movement and the whole concept of flight,” a relieved Laurie Beckelman, the then-chairwoman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, told the New York Times when the news was announced.
. . .

The man tasked with overseeing the restoration of a building he calls “the perfect symbol of post-war optimism, the magic of flight, and the elegance of mid-century modern architecture” was architect Richard Southwick, a partner and the director of historic preservation at Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB), whose efforts helped land the Flight Center on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Commissioned by the Port Authority, Southwick and BBB spent nearly a decade developing a preservation plan and guiding the first phase of construction. They used Saarinen’s original working drawings and specifications to rebuild the Sunken Lounge. They repaired and restored the tubes famously featured in the 2002 Leonardo DiCaprio flick Catch Me If You Can. Originally those groovy passageways ushered passengers into the TWA departure halls; now, each leads to one of the two hotel additions and, beyond that, the jetBlue terminal. (An elevator near baggage claim offers only two buttons: “1960s TWA HOTEL” or “PRESENT DAY JETBLUE.”)
. . ."

Construction

More than 400 tradespeople constructed two new hotel wings, installed penny tile, replaced one-of-a-kind windows and coated the TWA Hotel in a fresh coat (or five) of paint.

www.twahotel.com

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Construction

More than 400 tradespeople constructed two new hotel wings, installed penny tile, replaced one-of-a-kind windows and coated the TWA Hotel in a fresh coat (or five) of paint.

www.twahotel.com

Thanks for that ^^ link; I somehow missed it.

Given the American preference to tear down and replace buildings whenever possible, I'm in awe of the vision and effort that this project required.