NYCEDC Unveils ‘Downtown Skyport’ as New Operator Takes Over City-Owned Heliport

Downtown Skyport Assumes Control of Heliport Operations of the formerly named Downtown Manhattan Heliport

Renaming Comes After New York City and Downtown Skyport Commit to Updating Heliport Infrastructure to Support New Air Mobility Technologies, Bolster Freight and Last-Mile Distribution

NEW YORK, NY—Today, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) unveiled the newly-named “Downtown Skyport,” formerly the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (DMH), at an event marking the transition of site management to the new operator, Downtown Skyport—a joint venture between Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports) and Groupe ADP.

The renaming aligns with New York City and NYCEDC’s commitment to transform the city-owned site from a heliport into a multi-modal hub for sustainable transportation and last-mile freight delivery—upgrading the site’s infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, a quieter alternative to helicopters, and building out maritime freight berthing infrastructure to make New York City’s Blue Highways a reality. The name “Downtown Skyport” also draws on the history of a former marine and aviation facility by the same name which stood just north of Wall Street’s Pier 11 from the 1930s until its closure in the 1980s.

Construction of electrification infrastructure at Downtown Skyport is expected to begin later this year in anticipation of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for eVTOL aircraft in 2026. The completion of design and permitting for the skyport’s last-mile maritime freight infrastructure is also expected later this year with construction beginning in 2026.

“Today’s renaming is not just a sign of what’s to come, but an important milestone in taking the ‘Downtown Skyport’ to new heights—operating not just a heliport, but as a multi-modal hub for sustainable transportation and last-mile freight delivery,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “This Skyport will deliver a future of cleaner, quieter transportation that will launch New York City into the future. By naming this the ‘Downtown Skyport’ we’re paying homage to our city’s history, while looking toward a future filled with electric aircraft in our skies and maritime freight moving up our blue highways.”

“We are excited to officially welcome Downtown Skyport to their new home in New York City, and for the future of  Downtown Skyport as a hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) and an addition to the city’s blue highway network,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “Downtown Skyport will cement New York City’s position as a leader in technology and urban innovation and bring major quality of life improvements to New Yorkers, reducing noise and air pollution from helicopters and moving cargo off of trucks and into our ‘Harbor of the Future’.”

“Today's renaming marks a new chapter of sustainable transportation in New York City as the transformation of Downtown Skyport into a hub of innovative and sustainable mobility—from transitioning to eVTOL aircraft to facilitating last-mile delivery—is now officially underway,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “While the site’s name draws on the history of aviation in lower Manhattan, it also reaffirms the City's commitment to the future and to improving New Yorkers' quality of life with quieter and greener skies.”

“New York City will be the first in the United States to launch commercial eVTOL operations, and the transformation of this heliport will enable that innovation,” said Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports. “eVTOLs are 100 times quieter than traditional helicopters during takeoff, so modernizing the heliport will improve the quality of life for millions of New Yorkers, while generating new economic activity and accelerating last-mile freight delivery across the City’s waterways. We are honored for this opportunity to work with Andrew Kimball and his team at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, as well as the local helicopter operators, industry stakeholders and community leaders, to increase sustainable transportation citywide.”

“Whether by air or by sea, New York City is committed to expanding ways in which freight is transported, especially for last mile delivery,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Today’s renaming is the next big step in complementing NYCEDC’s and NYC DOT’s efforts to move more freight along the blue highway.”

“As someone who has long championed sustainable infrastructure and smarter transportation solutions, I’m proud to see the transformation of Downtown Skyport becoming a reality,” said New York State Assemblyman Charles D. Fall. “The new name pays tribute to Lower Manhattan’s rich aviation history while signaling a bold vision for the future of urban mobility.”

“The unveiling of Downtown Skyport is an exciting step toward a more sustainable and connected New York City,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Amanda Farías. “This project reflects our shared commitment to reducing noise pollution, cutting emissions, and investing in infrastructure that improves the lives of everyday New Yorkers—especially in waterfront communities like the South Bronx. I applaud NYCEDC and its partners for leading with equity and innovation as we chart the future of urban transportation.”

“Delivering a greener, quieter transportation future for New York means tackling one of our most complex challenges—last mile delivery. With this renaming, we recommit to the network that will make the delivery of our city’s goods and packages less reliant on trucks, and add crucial redundancy into our freight network,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeff Roth. “We look forward to working with our private sector partners to build out our blue highway network.”

“A New York City of the future is a place where more ships move our goods so the air is cleaner for people living near truck-filled highways, where helicopters don’t damage our ears and lungs, and where our treasured FiDi Seaport community is protected from sea level rise and storms,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “EDC is fostering climate innovation, adding transportation resilience at a time of supply chain disruptions, and activating our marine highway—making our city both greener and bluer.”

“The shift to a new Skyport that leverages sustainable technology is a major step forward for quality of life in Lower Manhattan—bringing quieter skies and cleaner air to a community that has long borne the brunt of noise and pollution from helicopter traffic,” said Tammy Meltzer, Chair of Manhattan Community Board 1. “The innovative Blue Highway freight infrastructure will also take trucks off our narrow streets, improving both air quality and pedestrian safety. These are the kinds of forward-looking investments our neighborhood needs, and we’ll continue to advocate for thoughtful implementation that delivers real benefits to Lower Manhattan.”

City officials were joined by eVTOL and Blue Highway companies—including Joby, Archer, BETA Technologies, and DutchX—to highlight how upgrades to Downtown Skyport infrastructure to accommodate these new technologies will deliver results for New Yorkers, improving efficiency, sustainability, and overall quality of life.

“New York is known not for just keeping pace with the future, but defining it,” said Kyle Clark, Founder and CEO of BETA Technologies. “The city’s plan to invest in and reimagine the Downtown Skyport underscores a clear commitment to innovation that serves the public good. Advanced Air Mobility is safer, cleaner, quieter, and more affordable than today’s aviation, opening up new, efficient ways to move people and goods.”

“The electrification of Downtown Skyport is more than an infrastructure upgrade—it’s a turning point for urban transportation,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation. “Just as the subway once redefined how New Yorkers moved underground, electric air taxis are poised to transform how we move above it. We’re proud to have been the first to fly an electric air taxi in the city’s skies and we support New York’s bold vision for a future with clean and quiet flight.”

“This transformation is a big step toward bringing air taxis to New York,” said Bryan Bernhard, Chief Infrastructure Officer at Archer. “We’re proud to work alongside the City and its partners to help make eVTOL a reality: reducing noise, cutting emissions and giving New Yorkers and visitors new, efficient ways to move through the region.”

“The rebirth of Downtown Skyport marks a pivotal chapter in New York City's story. What we're witnessing today isn't just infrastructure evolution—it's New York reclaiming its waterways as vital transportation corridors,” said Marcus Hoed, Co-Founder of DutchX. “At DutchX, we're honored to bring our last-mile logistics expertise to this collaboration, helping transform these untapped superhighways from potential to reality. What might seem revolutionary today will be common sense for the next generation. This isn't just about moving goods more efficiently; it's about creating a New York that's worth building and worth inheriting.”

“Vertical Aviation International (VAI) congratulates member Skyports Infrastructure, its joint venture partner, Groupe ADP, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on their exciting milestone,” said Josh Rousseau, Northeast US Regional Representative for VAI. “This renaming marks a new beginning for the Downtown Skyport and we applaud this collaboration and the commitment to enhancing current operations and opportunities while simultaneously investing in the City’s multi-modal transportation future. Yet another example of how effective our industry and government can be for New Yorkers when we work together to achieve common goals.”

“Stop the Chop NY/NJ congratulates the new operators of the former Downtown Manhattan Heliport, now re-named Downtown Skyport,” said Melissa Elstein, Board Chair of Stop the Chop NY/NJ. “Skyports Infrastructure and Groupe ADP were chosen by the NYCEDC after a long and competitive RFP process that, unlike in its original incarnation, is mandating the electrification of the heliport for eVTOL aircraft and the inclusion of maritime freight deliveries. In prioritizing environmental, noise pollution and 'quality of life’ concerns, NYCEDC is taking an important step towards eliminating nonessential fossil fuel-run helicopters from its heliports—a move for which Stop the Chop NY/NJ has long vociferously advocated. Although we still seek an immediate ban of the 30,000 annual fossil fueled sightseeing helicopter flights (and we urge “over water only” dispersal routes for commuter helicopter traffic), we applaud the reduced helicopter tour hours and better tracking of heliport-vicinity air quality, noise complaints, helicopter flights, and greenhouse gas emissions—data we ask be made publicly available. We hope that the promise of eVTOLs replacing traditional fossil-fuel helicopters will finally end the extreme noise pollution stemming from the heliport and along flight paths, improving the ‘quality of life’ for New Yorkers. As a key stakeholder, Stop the Chop NY/NJ represents the tens of thousands of New Yorkers and Jersyites harmed by helicopter traffic. NYC’s commitment to ‘quieter and greener skies’ by mandating more sustainable helicopter alternatives is a crucial move in reducing those harms.”

Last fall, three leading eVTOL companies conducted demos onsite. Joby and Volocopter conducted back-to-back flights for the first time, taking off from DMH and conducting overwater maneuvers against the backdrop of Lower Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, Governors Island, and the Statue of Liberty, before touching back down at the heliport. BETA brought its UL-certified Charge Cube, a multimodal and interoperable charge solution used by several OEMs in the industry. In October, Joby hosted a public electric air taxi display at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal, and BETA flew its production aircraft through the Hudson Corridor last week. Archer previously announced a route from Newark Liberty International Airport to downtown Manhattan and is planning to bring its Midnight aircraft to Manhattan for an invite-only event in Chelsea this month.

In May 2015, the United States Maritime Administration designated the Brooklyn Waterfront as a component of America’s Marine Highway (AMH). Building on this designation, in 2022 NYCEDC received a $5.16 million U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Maritime Administration (MARAD) grant to strengthen critical freight movement on waterways by enabling additional landings to dock watercraft and prepare cargo for local delivery.

The utilization of marine highway services to transport and deliver cargo helps to reduce emissions, decrease wear and tear on roadways, alleviate supply chain bottlenecks, and move goods more quickly from ships to shelves. Further, the competition of each of these sites increases transportation resiliency and redundancy, making New York City better equipped to receive goods during times of emergency or disaster.

Downtown Skyport’s concession agreement at the site will be for five years with a five-year renewal conditioned upon the timely build-out of the eVTOL charging and maritime freight berthing infrastructure. Two additional five-year renewal options are available at the City’s discretion.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.