Port Authority approves Stewart Airport name change, expansion

NEW WINDSOR - Stewart International Airport will soon undergo a transformation.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey authorized a name change and $30 million expansion to the Orange County airport on Thursday.

The project will expand the terminal by 19,850 square feet, adding a permanent federal inspection service facility and more restrooms. The targeted completion date is 2020.

The resolution also authorizes the Port Authority executive director to "take any action necessary to change the airport’s name," according to the meeting agenda. The meeting marked the first step toward possibly renaming the airport New York International at Stewart Field.

PAST COVERAGE:Port Authority to authorize Stewart Airport expansion, name change Thursday

LETTER:Don't change the name of Stewart International Airport

The name change would be made to rebrand the airport as a convenient, low-cost option for the area, said Huntley Lawrence, director of the Aviation Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs it. 

"It's important for travelers to easily and quickly associate the airport with the New York region," he said.

Mary Stewart Hafer, daughter of Archie Stewart, the Orange County airport's namesake, has contested the name change

"I can't imagine any other reason (for the change) than to quietly remove the name," she said Tuesday. "The name they proposed is too long to fit anywhere, so I'm sure they'll drop the 'Stewart Field.' "

Joseph Sitt, chairman of the Global Gateway Alliance, expressed support for the proposal in advance of the Port Authority meeting Thursday.

"The bottom line is New York has the most congested and delayed airports in the country year in and year out, and it's not going to change without new capacity," he said in a statement. "That will take proposals like the Stewart International Airport expansion along with better transportation, a real and sustained commitment to marketing, and, most of all, more flights and services to attract passengers. Otherwise, this will be just another plan that prolongs the airport's life, but falls far short of truly serving our region and our economy."

The alliance describes itself as an advocacy organization to address challenges facing the region’s airports and related infrastructure in an effort to foster growth. 

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4882; Twitter: Geoff_LW