Business Park Taking Off at Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Regional Airport
airport, business, elizabeth city state university, elizabeth city–pasquotank county regional airport, pasquotank, u.s. coast guard air station,
Here is the plane truth: A high-tech business park will soon be built adjacent to the Elizabeth City–Pasquotank County Regional Airport, and up to four aviation-specific companies will eventually locate there.
A total of 63.53 acres has been allocated to develop an Elizabeth City Aviation Research & Development Commerce Park, with $10.4 million earmarked to begin the first phase of the project. The design of the aviation research park began in July 2007, with infrastructure construction expected to be underway by early 2008.
“We have already had discussions with a number of industries that have expressed a great deal of interest about locating in the new aviation park,” says Rich Olson, Elizabeth City manager. “The four 80,000-square-foot buildings that can be constructed will all have direct access to the airport via their own [taxiway].”
Olson adds that perhaps the best news about the entire aviation research park venture is that it will ultimately create about new 500 jobs in this community.
“In addition, $150 million in private investment will be pumped into the local economy,” he says.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth City State University will construct a mini-campus on 15 of the 64 acres to be devoted to aviation science and academics. The mini-campus will potentially include three two-story buildings.
“Aviation research has always been a big deal in North Carolina, and our goal is to develop a strong aviation cluster here in Elizabeth City,” Olson says. “Our largest employer is already the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station at Elizabeth City, so now we want to grow that aviation connection.”
The Elizabeth City–Pasquotank County Regional Airport Authority will own and oversee operations at the research park once it is fully functional.
“As for the four businesses, we will make sure that they will be companies that won’t make a lot of aviation-related noise that could bother nearby residents,” says Scott Hinton, manager of Elizabeth City–Pasquotank County Regional Airport. “We want to grow the airport and the aviation research park smartly. And yes, all four companies will be related to the aviation industry and will work closely with the ECSU aviation science campus.”
The project involves collaboration between Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, the Elizabeth City–Pasquotank County Regional Airport Authority, ECSU, College of the Albemarle and the Albemarle Economic Development Commission.
“One of the goals of this entire endeavor is to keep aviation jobs here so that students will train and remain in this community,” Hinton says. “And as for the airport itself, another positive aspect is that the four aviation companies will also ideally build their own personal hangars at the airport to store their corporate planes.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Ian Curcio
