After undergoing a $500 million renovation, the Javits Center may be getting another makeover — to the tune of $1 billion.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced plans to expand the center by 1.2 million square feet, addressing years of criticism that the 2.1 million-square-foot facility is too small. The Javits Center, owned by the Empire State Development Corporation, would foot the bill for the expansion, which Cuomo said would likely begin in late 2016.
“The Javits Center has long been an economic generator for this state, but we want to build and expand it to ensure it remains a premier venue for the next generation,” Cuomo said in a statement.
The proposed expansion is Cuomo’s latest vision for the convention center. In 2012, Cuomo suggested building a new convention center in Sunnyside, Queens and demolishing the center to make way for a mixed-use facility. At the time, the center was undergoing a $500 million renovation, which included a modest expansion.