ASHLAND — The Ashland County Airport might have a new look in the next year or so.
The Ashland County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that allows them to use $550,000 of the county’s federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to build a new terminal.
But that money is only backup, said Tom Zupan, trustee of the Ashland County Airport Authority. He said the authority is hoping the primary source of funding for the project comes from a state capital projects grant for $1.3 million.
Zupan expressed the authority’s desire for a new terminal back in October, when he said building a new one would cost around $572,000. At the time, commissioners thought the project would be a good fit for ARPA money.
“When we went through the design process, the scope of the project grew substantially,” he said. That’s because the new plan includes a new terminal with an attached flight school, which would allow trainees to earn pilots’ licenses up to the airline level.
Initial plans had the new terminal reaching 2,200 square feet, replacing the 900 square-foot terminal that has stood there since 1972.
New preliminary designs put the building at 3,600 square-feet, complete with a simulator room, two individual training rooms, a lobby, public meeting space and a director’s office.
The authority expects to hear back from the state on its $1.3 million grant request on March 15. Should the request be denied, Zupan said “it’s back to the drawing board.”
“We’d use the ARP funds, but it would not be enough. So we’d either need to reduce the scope of the terminal building and/or raise other capital through local sources or through the (Federal Aviation Administration),” Zupan said.
If the money is approved, however, construction could begin later this year or early next.
Zupan said the existing terminal is too small and “not compliant with building codes and is absolutely dilapidated.”
Officials have said revamping the airport’s look with a new terminal would serve as an economic boon to the area.
“When you have people come into the airport, that is the face of the airport. And a new building would be enticing. I know that when you look at criteria points with businesses looking to move into your area, a viable airport is extremely important,” Welch has said.
The plans for a new terminal align with the authority’s long-term goals for development there. In 2019, the county acquired land that, if funding allows, would connect the airport with an access road to and from U.S. Route 42.
Zupan said the airport expects to hear back from the Federal Aviation Administration for a $350,000 grant request on April 15. If approved, the project likely wouldn’t see a start date until mid to late 2023, Zupan said.
“When it’s FAA, it’s like watching paint dry. There are many, many steps just to get engineering approved. So that could take a year. And then there’s an arduous bidding process, which could take six months,” Zupan said.
