Plans approved for renovations at Javits

The long-delayed renovation plans for the 23-year-old Jacob K. Javits Convention Center received final approval yesterday from the Public Authorities Control Board in Albany for construction to begin on the $463 million project. Plans for the original project were shelved during the Spitzer administration when original calculations put the price at over $3 billion. Hotel Association of New York member hotels added a $1.50 nightly surcharge to all guest bills to raise an additional $150 million for the renovations, which are expected to create 9,000 jobs. Some improvements to the center will include repairs to the leaky roof and a 100,000-square-foot expansion, which will be used for more exhibition and food service areas. The expansion will be built on the block bounded by 39th and 40th streets and 11th and 12th avenues.