Seneca County committee authorizes bids for new hangars at Finger Lakes Regional Airport

Seneca County’s Economic Development, Tourism and Housing Committee on Jan. 28 authorized advertisement for bids to construct new tie hangars at the Finger Lakes Regional Airport and discussed next steps to measure financial and operational returns.

Committee members said the hangar project is supported by a Department of Transportation grant of about $4,300,000 and a $250,000 county match, and that the project concept envisions multiple leasing bays to generate revenue and attract aviation activity.

The authorization covers advertising the construction bids for new hangars. Committee members and staff said the initial design envisions multiple bay units (the discussion referenced a 10-bay concept and two hangars) that would be leased individually. “We do have a grant that’s covered,” Supervisor Jeffrey Trout said during the discussion.

Why it matters: Committee members framed the hangar work as part of a broader strategy to spur private investment at the airport, grow aviation-related activity in the county and reduce the planning department’s operational burden by exploring professional airport management options.

Details and debate: The committee discussed demand and revenue assumptions. One speaker reported that when the hangar concept was circulated, 13 individuals indicated they would lease space “if we had it,” though the meeting did not record a formal lease schedule. Committee members asked for a clear cost and return-on-investment (ROI) summary that lists the grant source, total project spend, architectural and engineering fees, construction cost and projected rental revenues for lease scenarios (10 or 20 bays) before the county commits additional funds.

County staff said the board had asked the county attorney and planning staff to contact McFarland Johnson, the engineering firm, to examine operational options and provide analysis. Committee members also discussed shifting some airport tasks away from planning staff and toward either a dedicated airport manager or an external operator who specializes in airport management; any change in operational structure would return to committee and then to the full board for review.

FAA apron funding and schedule: The committee separately approved accepting a Federal Aviation Administration grant application that would fund pavement (apron) work around an existing hangar under construction. County staff said the FAA agreed to allow design and construction in a single grant application, which staff said could be fast-tracked to permit completion of apron work by summer. Meeting remarks estimated the new hangar under construction could be completed by May or June.

Votes and next steps: The committee approved the advertisement for bids and approved moving forward with the FAA grant application for apron work. Staff were directed to obtain a detailed cost/benefit analysis from McFarland Johnson that specifies grant funding, matching funds and projected lease revenues to drive ROI calculations; the committee said that report will guide prioritization of airport investments.

Closing note: Committee members encouraged continued outreach to potential tenants and to county partners as the project moves from advertisement to design, and signaled the county may revisit the airport’s operating structure based on the engineering firm’s analysis.