Governor Kathy Hochul announced that construction has begun on a project to modernize the Sullivan County International Airport and create a state-of-the-art gateway that will fuel economic growth and foster increased tourism for the entire Catskill Region. The project, which was awarded $18.5 million from the Governor’s $230 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, will replace the original 55-year-old terminal with a spacious, new 15,000-square-foot, energy-efficient building that will become both a welcoming destination for visitors to the region and a popular spot for residents to come and enjoy the Catskill Region’s scenic beauty. The new terminal will feature plentiful natural lighting, an all-electric HVAC system utilizing high-efficiency heat pumps integrated with geothermal wells, an enlarged restaurant and bar area with an outdoor dining area, a pilot’s lounge and other amenities that will enhance the passenger experience and create a modern travel center.
“Airports are the front doors to our Upstate communities and vital economic engines for the region,” Governor Hochul said. “This project will provide the Catskills with the state-of-the-art airport it deserves and greet thousands of visitors per year as they explore the region.”
The Sullivan County International Airport was one of nine Upstate airports awarded a total of $230 million in the latest round of Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition funding announced by Governor Hochul in September 2022. The awards are intended to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in Upstate commercial passenger service airports, helping to create airports for the 21st century.
Constructed in 1969, the Sullivan County International Airport is located in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, approximately five miles northwest of the Village of Monticello and 90 miles northwest of New York City. A major feature of the new terminal building will be a two-story glass curtain wall that will offer fabulous views looking across the apron, taxiway and runway to the Catskill Mountains, and also provide natural daylight to most of the occupiable spaces. The restaurant/bar area on the second floor will also have an adjacent deck for outdoor dining and the main first floor waiting area will have an adjacent covered patio for outdoor seating.
The project has a total estimated cost of $23 million and is expected to create approximately 260 jobs. Work on the airport is expected to be completed by the spring of 2025. Additional improvements include:
- Relocation of interior spaces including rental car check-in.
- Creation of pilot lounge, conference office areas and pilot planning areas.
- New and improved restrooms.
- Upgraded heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
- Geothermal wells to provide heating/cooling systems for terminal building.
- Upgraded terminal insulation, including windows and doors, to improve energy efficiency.
- Solar panels to supplement power to terminal building.
- New furniture, fixtures and equipment.
- Replacement/upsizing of the existing septic system.
- Upgraded fire suppression water tank and pump distribution system.
- New electrical vehicle charging stations.
- Repaved and striped main parking lot.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The Sullivan County International Airport project is another example of Governor Hochul’s vision and commitment to modernizing all modes of our vital transportation infrastructure in an environmentally sustainable way that brings communities together and fosters economic growth. This new airport will serve as a modern, welcoming gateway to the Catskill Region, attracting new visitors and generating new economic activity that will benefit all New Yorkers.”
The Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition is administered by the New York State Department of Transportation and was open to Upstate commercial passenger service airports and airports providing specialized service for commercial aircraft and/or corporate jets. Applicants were encouraged to apply for funding for a single project or a program of projects to help meet the demands of the 21st century. Projects submitted for review by eligible airports were evaluated based on established criteria, including but not limited to innovation in design, passenger amenities and experience, operational efficiencies and economic effectiveness for the airport’s region.
In September 2022, Governor Hochul announced $230 million in awards to nine Upstate airports for revitalization projects that reimagine and further modernize airports across Upstate New York. This funding comes from the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, a competitive solicitation which aims to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in Upstate commercial passenger service airports, helping to create airports for the 21st century. In addition to Sullivan County International Airport, other awardees include: Albany International Airport, Watertown International Airport, Saratoga County Airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Ogdensburg International Airport, Greater Binghamton Airport, Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport and the Adirondack Regional Airport.
