Finally, movement on airport project
After what has seemed like endless discourse on improving the Greene County Airport (fortunately not as endless as the Morrisville Project), there is reason to believe something might actually occur this year.
Last week, Franklin Township supervisors granted conditional approval to plans by the county to construct a new T-hangar, which will be designed to house 10 compartments for planes, a maintenance and equipment room and a pilot’s room.
The county, as part of the project, will also demolish the four old hangars west of the administrative building to make space available for commercial development. The 6 acres of land west of the administrative building have been divided into three, 2-acre parcels.
This is the first step needed to proceed with the county’s ambitious plans to use the airport property fronting Route 21 for its “highest and best use,” which is commercial development. The county hopes to attract a nice restaurant to the property and spur other development opportunities in the area. It also plans to lease the properties to create a “revenue stream” for the airport, which could help make airport operations more self-sufficient.
It was reported the county will be seeking bids for the new hangar and expects to have bid documents available for contractors July 15. It plans to open the bids mid-August and have construction under way several weeks later.
County leaders have been discussing the hangar project for years, and we understand there were many bureaucratic hoops the county had to jump through. It will, however, be a welcome sight to see activity finally taking place at the airport.
Now, as far as restaurants and hotels are concerned … well, we won’t be surprised if Morrisville is completed before the first guest checks in.