The Future of Hangars 3 & 4 at Floyd Bennett Field
Image Credit: LTL Architects
On September 30, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy hosted a breakfast briefing, “The Future of Hangars 3 & 4 at Floyd Bennett Field,” on the gorgeous rooftop of the NYPL Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library. With over 150 guests in attendance – partners, supporters, elected representatives, and government agency leaders – the event celebrated a new phase in the reactivation of Hangars 3 and 4 at Floyd Bennett Field, our city’s first municipal airport.
A dynamic lineup of speakers brought the morning to life, sharing personal stories and historical context that highlighted the significance of this landmark project. JBRPC Chair Thomas Secunda emphasized the opportunity to usher in a new era of innovation at Floyd Bennett Field while safeguarding and enhancing Jamaica Bay. Executive Director Terri Carta followed with a detailed look at the adaptive reuse plans, outlining the amenities and programs that will transform the Hangars into vibrant community spaces. State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud and NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams added their excitement and support, reflecting on the lasting impact the project will deliver for New Yorkers. Minka Sendich, Acting Superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area and our partner on the project, provided an update on the National Park Service’s role in rehabilitating the building envelope, while also sharing her enthusiasm for park improvements and expanded programming. Author and historian Thomas Campanella offered a captivating account of Floyd Bennett Field’s celebrated aviators at the height of early aviation innovation. United States Senator Charles Schumer, in videotaped remarks, recalled visiting the site as a child growing up in Brooklyn and underscored the milestones achieved in shaping this bold vision. Guiding the event as MC, Katie Honan, Senior Reporter at THE CITY, reflected on her Rockaway roots and connection to Floyd Bennett Field. Together, these voices created a powerful chorus of support, underscoring a shared belief in the transformative potential of this project.
Hangars 3 and 4, nationally-significant Art Deco structures, will be transformed into dynamic destinations that rekindle their history of technological innovation, become a nucleus for nature-based jobs and workforce development, increase community and climate resilience, connect audiences with Jamaica Bay's unparalleled recreational and educational opportunities, and provide a National Park experience to residents and visitors alike in our country's greatest urban center.
Hangar 3 will become a new destination for arts and cultural performances, educational programming, and visitor tours and amenities, including food stalls and a micro-brewery or distillery in the old boiler room. The huge hangar doors will help foster indoor-outdoor connections and dynamic public events, like our Floyd Bennett Field Public Arts Festival, Run the Runways, and other popular happenings. We’ll also help visitors get around the 1,300-acre park by offering an in-park shuttle and a bike library.
Hangar 4 will be fitted out with labs and prototyping equipment to enable scientific research and technological innovation that is focused on the natural environment and advancing nature-based solutions, building resilience in low-lying communities that are extremely vulnerable to storm surge, sea level rise, and flooding – around Jamaica Bay and beyond.
Programmatic offerings were shaped by a decade of listening and active engagement with community members and other stakeholders, ensuring that Hangars 3 and 4 will be a new nucleus for impact across Jamaica Bay and the communities that surround us. More than 14 million people live within an hour’s drive of Floyd Bennett Field – many of whom can access it using public transit or by bike on the surrounding greenways.
This investment will generate more than $41 million in economic activity across New York City and $159 million statewide during construction, while creating hundreds of jobs. Once complete, the Hangars will welcome over 100,000 new visitors each year—including students, workforce trainees, and nature-tech startups—helping to build a new generation of innovators from surrounding neighborhoods, and beyond.
By uniting arts and culture, scientific research, green jobs, and visitor amenities under one roof, Hangars 3 and 4 will enable Floyd Bennett Field to become not only a destination for all New Yorkers, but also a national model for resilience and conservation. Whether by contributing financially, lending expertise, or helping to spread the word, your support will ensure that Hangars 3 and 4 open their doors as dynamic hubs of innovation, resilience, and community for generations to come.
The transformation of Hangars 3 and 4 is a once-in-a-generation, $80 million capital investment in the future of our city, our environment, and our communities. With secured and anticipated funding, we are a third of the way toward this goal, reflecting momentum and a strong belief in the project’s power to deliver lasting benefits for New Yorkers. But additional partners and supporters are needed to make this bold vision take flight.
This is more than a restoration effort—it is a bold reimagining of how public space, environmental leadership, and community investment can drive meaningful change. Together, we can write the next chapter of Floyd Bennett Field and Jamaica Bay’s story—one that inspires, protects, and connects us all.
To find the photographs from our breakfast briefing, check out our photo gallery below:
To find a summary about our vision for the project, check out our pamphlet below:
To get more details about the reactivation of Hangars 3 & 4, check out our flipbook below: