Business development in Greene gets a boost
We have been hearing for several years now about a business development being planned at the Greene County Airport along Route 21.
Last week, the project received a major boost when U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy presented the county with an $800,000 check from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Federal Highway Administration. The money will be used to finance construction of a new entrance to the airport that is on the drawing board and the relocation of the existing access road and parking lot.
The first phase of the project, constructing new T-hangars, is currently under way, and the demolition of existing hangars to create parcels that can be leased for commercial use, is scheduled to begin this spring.
The final phase of the project is the most ambitious, with the development of a 6-acre parcel that is set to include some restaurants and retail outlets.
Previously, we had criticized the plan, suggesting that demolishing several older aircraft hangars to free up “valuable real estate” for business development on Route 21 was the answer to solving the financial problems at Greene County Airport. Yet, considering no other development has taken place at Waynesburg Crossings, the site of Walmart, the airport proposal should at least be given a chance to come to fruition.
Is there a retail and hospitality market in Greene County? It’s hard to say, because none really exists. Greene has nothing like South Strabane Township’s bustling Trinity Point and Strabane Square shopping centers within its borders.
The size and scope of what is being proposed at the airport seems just right for the size of Greene County. It has our backing.