Grants assist airport with hangar project
Officials expect business growth
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Over the last month, the Northern Maine Regional Airport has been awarded two separate grants which will assist in the development of a new hangar complex.
According to Scott Wardwell, airport director, this complex will measure a total of 9,225 square feet and contain at least five individual hangar units for smaller aircraft. The total estimated cost of the project is $794,800.
Wardwell said the units will help support local businesses that use aircraft and will also assist with the recruitment of healthcare professionals to the area, as many such professionals own aircraft and factor in the availability of these types of hangars in where they decide to locate. In both cases, the project is expected to have a significant impact in economic and community development.
“This project has been in planning stages for a number of years,” Wardwell stated. “The funding provided by the Northern Border Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Maine Department of Transportation finally will make this project financially feasible”
The largest grant was over $5 million and comes from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Maine Department of Transportation. Its main objective is the reconstruction of an existing taxiway. However a small portion of the work will include the partial construction of a new taxiway, new parking ramp, building pad and access road.
The bulk of the earth materials used to construct these new items, Wardwell said, will be reused from the existing taxiway. While the material is no longer suitable for a taxiway which accommodates large aircraft, it exceeds the requirements necessary to hold the smaller aircraft which will use this new hangar complex. The value of the work completed for the new hangar complex portion of this project is estimated to be $106,500. .
The second award was a federal grant for $250,000 from the Northern Border Commission, and will go directly toward the hangar construction. Recognizing the economic benefits of this project, said Wardwell, all three members of the federal delegation wrote a letter of support on behalf of this project. In addition, the state had significant input into the final selection of the projects which would be funded in Maine under the Northern Border Commission grant program.
State Senator Michael Willette of Presque Isle worked with the Northern Maine Regional Airport staff in communicating the significant community development and economic benefits this project would have on the Central Aroostook region.
“The construction of this hangar complex is a prime example of the type of community and economic development results that state government is looking for from these Northern Border Commission grant projects,” Willette said. “Given the past track record of the Northern Maine Regional Airport turning hangar construction projects into real economic growth, I was comfortable in lending my support to this project.
“In 2005 the State of Maine funded the construction of a corporate hangar. This hangar has supported Maine Mutual in their efforts to expand their markets up and down the East Coast. This expansion has created quality jobs right here in Presque Isle,” Willette said.
On the regional level, this project was supported by the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC).
In NMDC’s letter of support for this project, former director Robert Clark stated, “The proposed hangar construction was identified as a gap in our transportation infrastructure through existing and past planning exercises and merits consideration for funding through public funding sources.”
NMDC will assist the airport with the administration of the Northern Border Commission grant funding, Wardwell said.
For more information on the Northern Maine Regional Airport or this project, contact the airport at (207) 764-2550 or visit the website at http://www.flypresqueisle.com.
