Transformation Of Pangborn Airport Building To Start In August

There are plans to break ground next month on major renovations to the Pangborn Airport General Aviation building. 

The roughly $7.7 million project is meant to transform the 1960's era building into a state-of-the-art gateway for business travelers entering the Wenatchee Valley. 

Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority Economic Development and Capital Projects director Stacie de Mestre says the building will make a statement to visitors when finished. 

"It'll give a better representation of our valley when the general aviation community flies in," said de Mestre. 

The Regional Port Authority owns and operates Pangborn Airport. 

The General Aviation building and terminal will have a pilot’s lounge and a passenger terminal when the project is finished in the spring of next year. 

Private air traffic operations are moving to the building from the Executive Flight building, which is now occupied by the Army National Guard. 

The Regional Port Authority Board of Directors awarded a $6,151,700 construction contract for the project to Cascade Central Construction at its last meeting.  

Construction costs are higher than expected as the two lowest bids of the five submitted were disqualified over technical reasons. 

The original budget of $7 million ballooned to about $7.7 million. In addition to the construction costs are the highly praised design work from ALSC Architects ($474,258), an environmental assessment ($159,883) and furnishings for the offices and terminal ($350,000). 

Mestre says the project will include all but one of the planned features. "It was a sliding glass door ($16,207) that would open up the general aviation apron, but ultimately, we decided not to move forward with that option as our budget didn't allow for it," de Mestre said. 

The new design highlights and honors the building's classic Quonset hut barrel roof which has made it eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. 

A project summary of the remodeled General Aviation building says the structure will become a catalyst for the entire airport district.  

It said the building will leave a memorable first impression on the region’s visitors and be the landing point for future generations flying to Pangborn.   

The new layout of the building will increase from around 6,400 square feet to 6,700 square feet in the project. 

Also housed in the upgraded facility will be the offices of the fixed-based operator, which provides services required to accommodate private air travel, and the offices for Pangborn Airport Director Trent Moyers and his staff. 

Grants and tax money will finance about half the cost of the project - about $3.85 million. A federal grant through the Federal Aviation Administration will provide $3.1 million. The state Commerce Department is contributing $500,00 and Douglas County .09 Sales Tax money will supply $250,000. 

The Port Authority itself is contributing almost $3.9 million for the project, with almost $1.3 million being channeled through future money realized from a land parcel sale to the Army National Guard.  

The General Aviation building remodel is expected to take about nine months to complete.