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  • Local officials and members of the Mt. Vernon Airport Authority broke ground Thursday morning on a new aircraft hangar at the airport. Construction is expected to begin within the next couple of months. TESA CULLI/REGISTER-NEWS

    hangar groundbreaking
August 13, 2010

Airport breaks ground on new hangar

By TESA CULLI tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Two years of planning and work have paid off for the Mt. Vernon Airport, celebrated on Thursday with the groundbreaking of a new hangar.

“We have had tremendous need for more hangar space,” Airport Board Chairman Mike Ancona said. “SRT Aviation has done an excellent job in promoting aviation in the area and developed a reputation as being the best south of Champaign. We’ve also been blessed with Eric Evans Aviation and the pilots that have come through as a result of his business. ... Their aviation promotion efforts have helped make this project even more needed than before.”

The hangar will be a 11,400 square foot building capable of housing one regional airliner, or four to six medium size business jets, or up to 12 single engine airplanes, according to information from Airport Manager Chris Collins. A 23,000 square foot aircraft ramp extension will be constructed west of the hangar as well as an asphalt runway leading to a 10 space vehicle parking lot to the east of the new hangar.

“There is no way our city could have grown without a viable airport,” County Board Chairman Ted Buck said. His comment was echoed by Mt. Vernon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley.

“There is a great team here at the airport,” Chesley added. “This project hasn’t happened overnight.”

State Sen. John O. Jones said he hears good things about the growth of the airport.

“We cannot grow this community without an airport,” Jones said. “One of the best things I see at this airport is the teamwork and its place in the community. ... I have been hearing wonderful things about this facility and good things continue to come out of the airport.”

The $1.03 million project will also provide additional economic development opportunities and advantages, information states.

Local companies are involved with the construction and planning for the hangar and associated improvements: Brian D. Edmison & Associates for architecture; Round Table Design on Engineering; Lipps Construction Co., as construction managers and contractors; Black & Sons Construction as contractors; KT Electric as contractors; Hanson Professional Services for engineering on the ramp and parking lot; and Kieffer Brothers Construction as contractors for the ramp and parking lot.

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