Old TWA terminal could become a hotel

The famed Trans World Airlines Flight Center terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport could become part of a new boutique hotel under a plan by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, according to the Wall Street Journal. The agency, which has already poured $20 million into asbestos removal and restoration work at the vacant, Eero Saarinen-designed terminal, is now seeking developers to help recoup some of that money by converting the space into a lobby for a small hotel that would sit adjacent to the new JetBlue building. The lobby would have restaurants and shops, while the hotel would have around 150 rooms, said Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward. Alterations to the TWA terminal would have to be minimal: not only is it a landmark, but the Federal Aviation Administration would also have to approve any new construction on the site. The Port Authority is hoping to have construction finished within two years of signing a contract with a developer. [WSJ]