City Continues Evaluation of Frederick Airport Hangar Project

Feb. 27—The city of Frederick will continue to look for a company to build new hangars at Frederick Municipal Airport after the termination of an agreement with the organization previously contracted to build the space.

Back in August, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association asked the city to allow it to end the lease it signed in December 2018 to build about 194,000 square feet of hangars at the airport. This came after design and construction estimates were significantly higher than expected "by magnitudes of several million dollars," according to a report prepared by city staff.

A third party had been interested in taking over the lease but wanted to make 17 changes to the agreement, something city staff wasn't sure it could allow, Richard Griffin, the city's director of economic development, told the aldermen in August.

In October, the city and AOPA signed an agreement requiring the association to pay $42,120 to end the agreement as well as turn over design plans, a draft lease agreement for the hangars and other documents to the city.

For now, the city is evaluating the market for the hangars and the various leasing terms, as well as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic before it issues another request for proposals for the project, Griffin said in an email Friday.

After that's done, his office will consult with the mayor, Board of Aldermen and the city's Airport Commission to reissue an RFP.

The AOPA, an international organization of pilots and aircraft owners, is based at Frederick Municipal Airport and has about 200 employees.

After the lease was signed and the organization began the process of creating site plans, working with the Federal Aviation Administration and other initial work, the AOPA found that bids for the project had come in considerably higher than they'd estimated.

The AOPA was willing to share the designs, plans and other information it has accumulated on the project with the city and any future developer.

But several aldermen objected to allowing the organization to get out of an agreement it had signed.

The airport serves as an economic asset for the city and Frederick County, and it helps to provide access to Fort Detrick, the National Cancer Institute, organ donations and other services.

Frederick Municipal Airport is the second busiest airport in Maryland and the main reliever airport for Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. In 2019, the airport had more than 95,891 takeoffs and landings. It houses about 250 aircraft.

Follow Ryan Marshall on Twitter: @RMarshallFNP

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