Work is expected to begin soon on a logistics park at the North Central West Virginia Airport as the federal agency providing the bulk of the funding for the project has signed off on everything. What that means is a $2.1 million project is set to begin in Bridgeport.

 

According to Nicole Jones with the Thrasher Group, the airport’s engineer, the federal Economic Development Agency has received and reviewed everything they need to release awarded funds. The EDA provided $1.7 million of the funds for the project in question.

 

“We submitted all the required documentation to the EDA … (Two weeks) ago we received final approval from the EDA to move forward,” said Jones.

 

What that means is that the contractor that placed the winning bid, Buckhannon’s High Point Construction for $2,067,692.30, can get started. The remainder of the cost not covered by the EDA will be covered with the NCWV Airport’s own funds.

 

Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang, who represents the city on the Benedum Airport Authority (the airport’s governing body), said the contract will include a road, access to the site facility, the actual site pad and the shell of the first building.

 

The first building will be 18,000 square feet. The five-acre site, said Jones, can contain two more 18,000 square feet buildings and one covering 12,000 square feet. Authority President and Harrison County Commission President Ron Watson said the goal is to fill the first building and then move on to the next as opposed to building all four at once.

 

The best news? There may already be a tenant.

 

“We have had discussion with a potential tenant, but we want that kept confidential as we discuss the leasing terms,” said Lang. “… This is a very exciting project.”

 

Plans were first revealed for the project in May of 2018. At that time, Lang and Authority member and Harrison County Commissioner David Hinkle of the Airport Authority’s “Special Projects Committee” explained plans for the five acres in question that is situated just off U.S. Route 50. He said at the same meeting he envisioned as much as 70,000 square feet of space being available in the part, which is near the amount that will be available.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Authority member Mayor Andy Lang discussing the logistics park, while the bottom photo is of the group discussing business last week.