The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority cannot proceed until the projects are approved by TDOT Commissioner John Schroer.
The grant includes a $70,000 50-50 state and local match of $35,000 each for sewer design; $700,000 50-50 state and local matching funds for design and construction of the terminal building; and $5,555,555 90-10 matching grant for Phase III construction, which includes paving the runway, apron and terminal area.
The three grants total $6,325,555. Of that amount, the city is responsible for $975,555.
The commissioner previously released $97,500 in the form of a 75-25 matching grant to pay Barbara Fritsche, Fritsche Consulting of Fort Thomas, Ky., for developing a business plan for the general aviation airport.
Design for the third and final phase of construction of the Cleveland Municipal Airport is under way. Bids are tentatively scheduled to be let in January 2012 and the airport should be open for business sometime between August and November 2012.
The runway will be constructed of 11-inch thick concrete. The thickness is based on the traffic mix taken from the master plan, environmental assessment and noise study that includes a Global Express long range corporate jet approximately three times a week.
Administrative Assistant Gloria Malone and City Manager Janice Casteel took the funding requests to the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission meeting in September.
The commission’s main concerns were that the sewer was for only the airport and the size of the conference room in the terminal building.
“We were looking at two sizes, one was for about 12 people and one to seat 25,” Malone said. “They just said, bigger. They want a community room people can use. They want the community to embrace the airport. It’s just a big deal to them because they want to have capital meetings here, they want to have some of their meetings here. All three requests were approved and those are with TDOT now awaiting approval by the commissioner.”
Terminal Design Committee Chair Lou Patten said architect David Carroll, of Rardin & Carroll Architects, redesigned the second-floor conference room to accommodate 49 people. That is the maximum occupancy without additional safety codes.
“He made it as large as he could without having to go with additional requirements,” Patten said. “It’s going to be a very nice, large conference room. We’ve got a couple of smaller meeting/conference rooms in the plans.”
Patten reported in September the terminal building would cost about $1.5 million. Half of that amount was to be funded by the previously mentioned $700,000 grant. The remainder of the cost was to be paid for with private funds.
“With the changes we’ve made, plus, that ( cost) did not include furnishings, landscaping, exterior fencing, parking lot or outside lighting, it is actually going to run closer to $2.1 to $2.2 million for a completed terminal building,” he said. “We’ll have to raise about $1.8 to $1.9 million.”
He said the Terminal Design Committee discussed naming options to give people the opportunity to participate “in this beautiful front door to the city of Cleveland.”
Initially, the committee is meeting with interested individuals and then will expand fundraising into the general public through a friends of the airport organization for accepting smaller amounts.
Patten said the design committee is exploring security and economic development grants to offset some of the local cost.
Verrill Norwood discussed selling Hardwick Field. The land area totals approximately 61.4 acres comprised of two noncontiguous parcels of 52 acres where the runway and hangar area is located, valued at $960,000 and a second parcel of 9.4 acres, valued at $100,000. The value of any buildings was not considered in the appraisal conducted by Richard O. Banks. The total estimated value is $1.060 million.
It was originally believed the full 103 acres of Hardwick Field would bring $3 million. However, 40 acres are in the form of easements and not saleable.
The night approach at Hardwick Field is expected to be approved by the Nov. 18 meeting.
“We’ve got to have the night approach approved,” Commissioner LeRoy Rymer said. “Santa Claus might need to use it.”
