Funds will expand central receiving area and cafe, update lighting and furnishings
By Kelsey Brown, Hearst fellow
Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed a plan to invest over $54 million in three airports in North Country at a news conference Tuesday, to modernize the facilities and spur economic opportunities in the area.
The three airports — Watertown International Airport, Adirondack Regional Airport, and Ogdensburg International Airport — received a $54.5 million investment and were among nine upstate airports to be funded through the governor’s $230 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition that was issued in 2022.
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“When an airport is outdated and run down, it sends a message that we’re not first-rate,” Hochul said at the Watertown airport in Jefferson County. “I can’t have that happen because that can hurt the psyche of a community — a confidence that we should all have and the pride that should be there. When you do have a welcoming, world class hub, like the one we’re building here, it sends a very different message that we take pride in our infrastructure and how we present ourselves to the world.”
Work is already underway to improve the infrastructure of North Country’s airports, with the Watertown and Adirondack airports expanding to boost tourism and economic development, with added details like a welcoming travel gateway. At the Ogdensburg airport, the focus will be on expanding and enhancing the main terminal.
Watertown plans
This is the largest expansion the Watertown airport has undergone since opening in 1928. Hochul mentioned that many soldiers return through Fort Drum, which is only 15 miles from the Watertown terminal. With cramped waiting spaces and no jet bridge, passengers are offered little protection from the weather when boarding or disembarking from an aircraft.
“No one who has served our country should be left standing there waiting in the rain or snow,” Hochul said. “We can do better. We will do better. And that is our promise.”
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With an investment of $32.5 million, $28 million from Hochul’s development plan, a 25,000-square-foot terminal complete with a new jet bridge, lobby, ticketing and baggage claim areas, and additional waiting areas will be constructed. The new terminal will be finished by summer 2025, with the current terminal continuing to operate until its completion.
Adirondack updates
Adirondack airport in Lake Clear, outside of Saranac Lake, which was built in 1942, received $8.5 million, which will be used to expand the central receiving area and cafe, and update its lighting and furnishings. The project, which is expected to be completed by winter 2025, is estimated to create more than 90 jobs.
Overhaul in Ogdensburg
St. Lawrence County’s Ogdensburg airport is in its second phase of construction, funded by $22 million, $18 million from Hochul’s plan. The project includes a complete reconstruction of its Ground Services Equipment building and water system work, intending to be completed by spring 2025.
Photo at top: Adirondack Regional Airport’s entrance is near Lake Clear, northwest of Saranac Lake. Explorer file photo by Brandon Loomis
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