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Plans for New Multi-Million Dollar City Airport Terminal Nearing Completion; Set for Review August 15

By Jeff Toquinto on August 07, 2018 via Connect-Bridgeport.com

A plan some ironically said decades ago was “pie in the sky” may see a document that is close to being final when they meet next week. On August 15, members of the Benedum Airport Authority will review plans for a new terminal building at the group’s monthly meeting.
 
“We’re going to give (the Authority, the governing body of the North Central West Virginia Airport) an update as to where we’re at with the design,” said Bridgeport Mayor and Authority member Andy Lang. “It’s likely not going to be final, but it’s going to be close.”
 
Lang heads up the Airport Terminal Improvements Committee, which has been working on a proposed new terminal building for months. The project is going to take place, officials have said, which brings an end to a discussion of a new terminal building that date backs into the early 2000s if not earlier when some in the public dubbed the process as “pie in the sky.”
 
“This is definitely going to happen. It has to,” said Lang. “Our current terminal is just too small and not large enough to accommodate what’s currently going on and there’s no room for growth. Because of that, we’re going to build something in a feasible fashion to accommodate growth and if we’re lucky enough to land another Allegiant flight or even another carrier we’ll have room to accommodate them and the passengers.”
 
Plans have been worked on by The Thrasher Group, who also serves as the airport’s engineer of record. While the terminal will be new, it’s actually going to be a renovation of an existing building. The committee will be converting a hangar that has long been occupied by KCI Aviation and near the existing terminal building.
 
“There’s enough room there to handle what we have and to handle growth. Right now we have one jetway and if flights cross paths the security area isn’t large enough. This will have two jetways,” said Lang. “We’re looking at accommodating what we have and growth for at least 15 years or more.”
 
The terminal will come with a likely seven figure price tag. Lang estimates it to be in the range of $6 million to $8 million.
 
“It’s probably going to be closer to $8 million and I don’t think it’s going to exceed that, but to do a brand new building would be north of$25 million to this will be about one-third of the cost and gets us into the future for 15 or 20 years at least,” said Lang. “This will meet our needs, improve the experience of the passengers and make it a better location for the airlines.”
 
The terminal will have more than two jetways. There will also be two gates for service and indoor luggage retrieval. Ticketing areas will also be enlarged.
 
The project will be funded by funds from the airport, as well as the FAA’s Airport Improvement Projects grant program. The project qualifies for AIP dollars, Authority President Ron Watson and NCWV Airport Executive Director Rick Rock have said in the past.
 
“We have a good thing going right now at this airport. You see people coming from Washington, Pa., and a bunch of other states to get flights out of here,” said Lang. “The pricing, the parking, the ease of getting passengers in and out of here is a plus. This will enhance all of that and keep those same passengers coming back and bringing others with them.”
 
Lang said there are three important things to note about the project with the first being infrastructure. He said the renovation of the building in the area it’s being renovated takes advantage of everything already in place.
 
After that, he said the location of the KCI Building is in the middle of everything needed by airport staff and other. He said the synergy of operations is critical to the health of the airport.
 
The third key is that, currently, there isn’t an ideal place to build a new terminal. He said areas on the other side of the runway aren’t cleared and ready for development.
 
“This site works on a lot of front,” said Lang. “We hope to see things happening soon, starting with this next meeting, and get going.”
 
Lang wasn’t certain when things would begin, but that he hopes plans – which he said were definitely more than 50 percent complete – get an initial thumbs up from the rest of the Authority to keep moving ahead.  Eventually, Lang said he’d like to see everything done by the end of 2019.
 
“It also will serve as a big marketing tool and allow Rick to do what he does best and that’s sell this airport to airlines and the community. This gives him and (Assistant Director) Shawn Long some power when talking to airlines to let them know we think enough of their product that we’re spending millions of dollars to make it a better experience for you and your customers,” said Lang. “This is very important to future economic growth locally and regionally.”
 
The August 15 meeting begins at 3 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. 
 
Editor's Note: Mayor and Benedum Airport Authority member Andy Lang shows preliminary plans at the February meeting of the Benedum Airport Authority in the top photo. Bottom picture shows a close up of the plans. More detailed and plans closer to being finalized are anticiapted to be revealed at the August 15 meeting of the Authority.


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