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$49 million Syracuse airport renovation needs Common Council approval

Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo
The proposed vision for the outside of Hancock Airport.

The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority is asking the Syracuse Common Council to approve a nearly $49 million renovation to the Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the promise of a new makeover of the airport at his State of the State address in Syracuse last month.

Cuomo said the project could create more than 800 jobs and Councilor Joe Nicoletti said he wants to make sure local people get hired.

“If we’re spending the money here, let’s make sure we hire local people here," Nicoletti said. "Because after all, most of it comes from the state and that is money that we pay taxes for.”

The state is chipping in close to $36 million through its Upstate Airport Revitalization program. But Nicoletti said common councilors still have questions. A $60 million renovation project was completed at the airport in 2013 creating a new security checkpoint at the center of the airport.

“Are the renovations going to replace those current renovations or are they going to be done in consistency with what exists?" Nicolletti asked. "Secondly, is the funding all in place?”

The Terminal Improvement Project will include replacements of the existing exterior canopy, terminal facade, airport ticket counters and renovations to the center lobby and restrooms.

The airport authority needs approval from the common council on projects more than $10 million.

“Rather than rushing through it, we would like to have a committee meeting, talk about what are the implications on the bond ordinance that currently exist for renovations we’ve already done," Nicoletti said. "What I’m trying to do is do this in a responsible, fair way, to give everybody an opportunity to review the material so when we have a committee meeting, we can air all our questions at once.”

A council committee meeting to discuss the project is scheduled for the end of the month.

Tom Magnarelli is a reporter covering the central New York and Syracuse area. He joined WRVO as a freelance reporter in 2012 while a student at Syracuse University and was hired full time in 2015. He has reported extensively on politics, education, arts and culture and other issues around central New York.