A New Mural at Laguardia Airport’s Terminal B Parking Garage

Photo Courtesy of PANYNJ

Mural Builds on Extensive Display of Public Art Throughout LaGuardia Airport’s Two New Terminals to Create a Sense of Place that is Unique to the Borough of Queens

Photos of the Mural Here

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Queens Culture & Arts Network (QCAN) today unveiled an expansive and vibrant mural inside LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B garage depicting some of the most iconic sites in Queens, including parks, museums and other attractions that represent the rhythm and spirit of the borough. The mural adds to a collection of public artworks at LaGuardia that create a uniquely New York sense of place at what has been named the nation’s best airport by Forbes Travel Guide for two consecutive years. 

The mural extends LaGuardia’s world-class art experience from the interior halls and concourses of the airport’s new terminals to Level 2 of the indoor Terminal B parking garage, where passengers connect with Uber, Lyft and other for-hire car services. The 54-foot-long mural covers an L-shaped wall with depictions of iconic Queens attractions, including the historic Pepsi Cola sign overlooking the East River, CitiField, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Gantry State Park, Queens Botanical Garden, and the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Park, among others. Artist and long-time Astoria resident Brittney Rios, who signs her works as “Plushie,” chose the images based on her experiences while living and working in Queens.

The Port Authority and QCAN partnered to select an artist who would draw inspiration from their own connections to Queens to create a mural celebrating the diversity, rhythm and spirit of the borough. QCAN released a Request for Proposals from artists for the project. The final selection was a joint effort between the Port Authority and QCAN.

Port Authority airports, including LaGuardia, Newark-Liberty International and JFK, are undergoing a historic $45 billion transformation, extending through 2035, with the goal of creating world class and award-winning passenger facilities.

Acclaim for Port Authority’s airports includes:

2025:

·       Forbes Travel Guide: LaGuardia Airport, nation’s best airport, second year in a row

·       Airport Service Quality Award: LaGuardia Airport, best North American Airport in its size class

·       Skytrax: LaGuardia Airport Terminal B, 5-Star Rating

2024:

·       Forbes Travel Guide: LaGuardia Airport, Nation’s Best Airport

·       Airport Service Quality Award: LaGuardia Airport, Best North American Airport in its size class

·       Skytrax: Newark Liberty Terminal A, 5-Star Rating

·       Skytrax: Newark Liberty Terminal A, World’s Best New Airport Terminal

·       UNESCO Prix Versailles: Newark Liberty Terminal A, for Exterior Design

·       Business Traveller Magazine: JFK International, Nation’s Best Airport

2023:

·       Skytrax: LaGuardia Terminal B, 5-Star Rating

·       Skytrax: LaGuardia Terminal B, World’s Best New Airport Terminal

·       American Society of Civil Engineers NJ: Newark Liberty Terminal A, Project of the Year: Newark Liberty’s Terminal A

·       U.S. Green Building Council: Newark Liberty Terminal A and LaGuardia Terminal B, LEED Gold certification

·       Rick Hansen Accessibility Certification: LaGuardia Terminal B, Gold Rating

2022:

·       National Academy of Construction: LaGuardia Terminal B, Special Achievement Award

·       National Design-Build Institute of America: LaGuardia Terminal B, National Award of Excellence in Aviation

·       Urban Land Institute/NY: LaGuardia Terminal B, Excellence in Civic Development

2021:

·       UNESCO Prix Versailles: LaGuardia Terminal B, World’s Best New Airport Terminal

·       Conde Nast Traveler Hot List: LaGuardia Terminal B, Best New Way to Travel

·       Queens Chamber of Commerce Building Awards: LaGuardia Terminal B, Best Public Work Infrastructure and Civil Project

·       Municipal Art Society of NY: LaGuardia Terminal B, Masterworks Award, Best New Infrastructure

·       US Green Building Council: LaGuardia Terminal B, LEED Gold v4 Certification

2020:

·       Engineering News Record: LaGuardia Terminal B, Best Projects Award NYC

About the LaGuardia Redevelopment Project

In 2015, a comprehensive plan to construct a whole new LaGuardia Airport was unveiled with the goal of creating a world-class, 21^st century passenger experience featuring modern customer amenities, state-of-the-art architecture, more spacious gate areas and a unified terminal system. The $8 billion project, two-thirds of which is funded through private financing and existing passenger fees, broke ground in 2016 and was substantially completed in 2022.

In February 2018, the new Terminal B parking garage opened with more than 3,000 spaces and a dedicated level for Uber, Lyft and other for-hire car services. In December 2018, the first 18 new gates and the first new concourse in Terminal B opened. In June 2020, the soaring new 1.3 million-square-foot arrivals and departures hall at Terminal B opened. Terminal B, with 35 gates, has since won awards as best new airport terminal in the world, including the Prix Versailles from UNESCO and Skytrax, which also gave the terminal the first 5-star rating in the nation. In June 2022, Delta Air lines opened the new 1.3 million-square-foot Terminal C, which features 38 gates across four new or transformed concourses, world-class amenities, state-of-the-art technology and inspiring public art. Delta’s Terminal C was completed in 2024.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state agency that builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. For over a century, the agency’s network of major airports; critical bridges, tunnels and bus terminals; a commuter rail line; and the busiest seaport on the East Coast has been among the most vital in the country – transporting hundreds of millions of people and moving essential goods into and out of the region. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center campus, which today welcomes tens of thousands of office workers and millions of annual visitors. The agency’s historic $37 billion 10-year capital plan includes unprecedented transformation of the region’s three major airports – LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and JFK – as well as an array of other new and upgraded assets, including the $2 billion renovation of the 93-year-old George Washington Bridge. The Port Authority’s annual budget of $9.4 billion includes no tax revenue from either the states of New York or New Jersey or from the city of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, visit www.panynj.gov or check out the Now Arriving blog.