JFK International Airport, located in New York, is one of the busiest airports in the world, and is already home to flocks of humans, but now travelers can expect to see herds of animals - horses, livestock, zoo creatures and pets - sprinting on the runway. Well, not exactly.
Airports are taking into consideration the needs of animals, with the latest development being the creation of The Ark, the first privately owned animal handling cargo terminal set to open next year in Building 78, which has been vacant for more than 10 years.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey signed a 30-year lease with real estate company Racebrook Capital, the developer of the 178,000-square-foot facility, according to Commercial Property Executive. The project will cost upwards of $48 million, but its organizers expect it to create 180 jobs and more than $108 million in revenue during its 30-year lifespan.
The Ark (bet you can guess where that name came from) will contain an air cargo wing, a 24-hour veterinary hospital, a main lounge and animal-handling area, climate-controlled bedrooms, pet boarding area, animal import and export center and Paradise 4 Paws for cats and dogs, the Telegraph reported.
"For the animals who [will] pass through The Ark, as well as the people who own them, air travel can be stressful and confusing," said architect Cliff Bollmann, who is helping with the design. "Aligning the needs of quarantine with kennelling and elevating the experience for animals and their owners, our design team sought to create a comfortable, healthy environment for them all."
The facility will be equivalent to a "pet resort," where animals will be living the life of luxury during their stay, so to speak.
