Floyd Bennett Field's shuttered Hangars 3 and 4 get $10 million from the state to reopen to the public

Two of the original Art Deco hangars at Floyd Bennett Field, New York City's first municipal airport, are a step closer to reopening to the public. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $10 million in state funding on Monday for the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy to restore and reactivate Hangars 3 and 4, according to the governor's office.

The hangars have not been open to the public in nearly a century, a conservancy official told Gothamist. In their current condition they cannot be used.

What the money pays for

The state grant, administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), covers Phase 1: restoring the interiors of both hangars so New Yorkers can use them for "affordable public programming" while the larger redevelopment moves ahead, the governor's office said.

According to Gothamist, Phase 1 also includes:

• Solar panels on the roof and geothermal energy from the lawn in front of the buildings.
• Bathrooms and other upgrades so the hangars can work as a large events space, including for concerts.

A second phase could follow with an observation terrace and a place to buy food and drinks, the conservancy told Gothamist.

What goes where

• Hangar 3 would host public functions and park activities such as kayaking and biking. 6sqft reports the plan includes food halls and a performance venue.
• Hangar 4 would be a research and education space with labs, classrooms, meeting rooms and a workshop for CUNY's Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, which is working on climate projects such as restoring West Pond.
• In total, about 50,000 square feet would open for public use, Gothamist reported. LTL Architects is designing the redevelopment, according to 6sqft.

Timeline and money

The conservancy plans to break ground in early 2028, after the National Park Service finishes renovating the hangars' exteriors, and expects Phase 1 to take about a year, Gothamist reported. No opening date has been announced.

The conservancy says it is about a third of the way to its $75 million fundraising goal, according to 6sqft. Before the state grant, the project had secured $9.3 million in public money: $1 million from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, $3.3 million from the City Council and $2 million in federal funds, plus $3 million set aside for site improvements, 6sqft reported.

About the field

Floyd Bennett Field opened in 1931 on Jamaica Bay and drew record-setting aviators including Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes. It became a naval air station during World War II and is now part of the National Park Service's Gateway National Recreation Area. Of its eight original hangars, Hangars 5 through 8 were turned into the Aviator Sports and Events Center in 2006, according to 6sqft.

Separately, the nonprofit Runway Green signed a 60-year lease with the Park Service in September for a seven-acre education campus elsewhere on the field, with a first phase, including a three-acre urban farm, slated to break ground in 2027, 6sqft reported.