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JFK Redevelopment Council promises
MWBE and CBA job opportunities
BY JEFF YAPALATER
The full JFK Redevelopment
Community Advisory
Council met for the fourth
time on October 21 at York college
to provide updates on the
JFK Redevelopment project.
Port Authority, terminal redevelopment
personnel and investors
shared information on
progress from all fronts. Matters
discussed included time
line construction, MWBE
workforce goals, airport concessions
opportunities, overall
community benefits, educational
programs, new
JetBlue investor team member,
upcoming Port Authority
Board of Commissioners upcoming
plans, redevelopment
center partner hours, upcoming
Rockaways CAO office,
construction opportunities,
NYCAR concerns, environmental
assessments, airline
community initiatives. There
was a great deal of talk about
opportunities, 30% minority
levels of participation, community
benefits and promises
by all to include local businesses
as a priority.
The Council meeting was
conducted by Dr, Stacie Grant
calling upon the various representatives
reporting to the
group of council members,
elected officials and local
stakeholders on recent important
redevelopment milestones.
Suzette Bather-Taylor
of the Port Authority (Port)
shared update on the Queens
Concessions Symposium and
opportunities held in early
October. Over 200 attendees
interested in having an airport
concession listened to
concessions requirements
overview, procurement, procedures,
design and build out
info0rmation and partnering
with prime vendors. According
to Taylor the symposium
was positive received by the
attendees with many seeking
more information and seeking
MWBE certifications in order
to participate in any opportunities.
A follow up symposium
would-be held at Newark Airport
on November 14 where
subject matter experts will
give overview of RFPs and answer
questions. This opportunity
enables MWBEs to meet
and network with some of the
primes that will be responding
to the RFPs and discuss
their capabilities to perform
on the contract a part of the
Port’s continuing commitment
to minority opportunities
at the airport.
Taylor also spoke about
MWBE capacity programs
through the regular Roundtables
bringing information
from the developer to the community.
These roundtables
area attended by terminal
developers looking for participation
by the community.
Monthly sessions are held by
industry and bimonthly. She
also gave notice that MWSBE
certification workshops will
be held in November and December
to insure local participation
in projects.
Port’s Nantasha Williams
spoke about overall developing
initiatives such as hiring,
education, job recruiting,
workforce development
plans such as the opening of
Council for Airport Opportunity
(CAO) office the Rockaways
with participation by
the Rockaway Development
& Revitalization Corporation
(RDRC) as a pathway to airport
opportunities, and Port
to support capacity at the CAO
office in Jamaica. As part of
the workforce development,
Port and partners have committed
to the “2nd chance” employment,
.targeted to those
formerly incarcerated by to
“Carving out” specific opportunities
for these individuals..
The 2nd chance employment
initiative program involves a
commitment by the Port, terminal
operators and other employers
in the redevelopment
program to interview individuals
from local communities
for jobs associated in both
airport construction and airport
operations. The office for
Second Chance Employment
(OSCE) at CAO will work with
employers who have experience
in this area such as the
The Fortune Society,100 Suits,
Exodus Transition Services
and others. Contractor Cow-
Bay has implemented a plan
for 2dn chance applicants.
She also mentioned that
the Port will focus on supporting
STEM program at York
College, originally funded
by NASA but now focused on
aviation with Initiatives to include
a new science and technology
program for 300 local
students grades 1-12 from
Queens to generate interest in
aviation and aeronautics.
Williams stressed that the
Workforce development plans
will increase long term employment
opportunities for
previously unemployed, and
under employed and vulnerable
populations including second
chance citizens.
Responding to questions
about PLA’s and need for
workers to be part of a union,
she said that a pathway for local
residents to join unions.
increase participation of
local and/or MWBEs in under
discussion =on several fronts
to ensure linkages with job
seekers through all phases of
the redevelopment program.
On the environmental side
of the redevelopment, it was
reported that American Airlines
Terminal 8 Environmental
Assessment under review
and they expect to hear
shortly and the JFK preliminary
draft EA has been submitted
and awaiting response
in next few months.
New CAG Chief for Terminal
One redevelopment
Dr. Gerrard so=poke, extolling
the vision of the project.
“This is a once n life time opportunity
for all of us. It will
create new opportunities for
all of and how we think. This
airport must signal the jobs
for the 21st Century”. Bushell
spoke about the concerns
about impact and “our responsibility
is that we capture all
of that. It is Important to listen,
I have learned, transforming
infrastructure projects,
that we have to listen to communities;”
We are here to engage
that. I am here to hear.” I
want to bring to the Terminal
One team corroboratively successes
from my experiences,;
to be competitive with an executable
plan for minority participation,
abort partnership
which is necessary for our
business model. Need to build
a better capacity to engage
communities.”
Our procurement foundation
is on diversity and inclusion;
equity and inclusion.
Will look at metrics and outcomes.
Making the possible
from the impossible. We must
be bold. “ he said in a passionate
voice.
Kimberly Hardy of the
McKissack& McKissack
Group, for new T1 team, was
pleased to announce the many
events held over the summer
as ways to form linkages with
members of community and
neighborhoods. She detailed
the monthly info sessions, job
fairs participation , and special
events such as100 Suits for
Men and other like opportunities
for the communities. She
noted that there are events on
November 12 and December
11. Contact the Community
Redevelopment Center in Jamaica
or email: info@onejfk.
com. She was happy to announce
that the RCGA architectural
firm that won to develop
design project of Green
Garage at JFK with a diverse
team.
Jeremy Watson, Manager
development JetBlue. was
candid in explaining that
many people are wondering
about when actual opportunities
will materialize and contracts
open to bid. He said that
things are moving forward
and that a design/ build con-
Continued to page 27
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