New LaGuardia Concourse, Gates Slated To Open Aug. 5

NEW YORK CITY — LaGuardia Airport's dingy days soon will look farther away.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced the opening of a new concourse and gates at the airport's Terminal B.

Seven new gates and a "light-filled concourse" will open Aug. 5 — the second portion of LaGuardia's $8 billion transformation to go into service this summer, according to a news release.

"With the opening of this new concourse, LaGuardia Airport's Terminal B is hitting two major milestones in one summer and moving closer to its full transformation into a 21st Century travel facility," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "LaGuardia Airport is going to be the first new airport in the United States in 25 years, and we're building it while still operating the old airport. Travelers coming to New York should expect nothing less than a world-class experience, and that is what we are delivering with this modernization project."

The new gates will serve American Airlines passengers, according to the release. The concourse includes an indoor park and touchless restrooms, the release states.

The airport in June opened its new Arrivals and Departments Hall in Terminal, an 850,000 square-foot space with art installations and concessions, the release states.

The Terminal B project, when complete, will have the new hall, two pedestrian skybridges and two concourses with 35 gates for American, Southwest, United Airlines and Air Canada airlines.