Story posted Friday, June 26, 2009
Hearing On Future of Hangar Site
By RICHARD MAYER Assistant Managing Editor
A public hearing on a new hangar facility at Chicago Executive Airport (CEA) will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1 in the airport's Executive Conference Room, 1020 S. Plant Rd., Wheeling. The purpose of the hearing is to consider social, economic and environmental effects of the development.
In March 2008, CEA board members approved Massachusetts-based Sovereign Development Group to build a new $15 million aviation facility on the hangar site near Milwaukee Avenue and Palatine Road.
The $15 million 62,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art aviation facility redevelopment will feature:
* A fully enclosed, two-story, 4,500 sq. ft. glass atrium with airfield viewing wall, open to the public.
* 30,000 sq. ft. of office space.
* 7,500 sq. ft. of restaurant space.
* 7,500 sq. ft. for an executive terminal.
* Potential for "in-hangar" office space.
* An in-house executive catering company.
* A pilot shop.
* Display area within the atrium for an airfield history retrospective.
* A fully monitored in-ground fuel farm.
Consultants who prepared the study will be available to answer questions during the public hearing in an open house format, and both verbal and written comments will be accepted by a court reporter. However, no formal presentation will be made.
A copy of the environmental documents in detail can be viewed at Prospect Hts. City Hall, Wheeling Village Hall, Prospect Hts. Public Library, Indian Trails Public Library, CEA's Administrative Office, FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) office in Des Plaines, and Illinois Division of Aeronautics in Springfield.
According to Airport Manager Dennis Rouleau, the next step after the public hearing is to gather and review responses.
"Hopefully it's a positive determination," said Rouleau, referring to the reviews. "Then hopefully sometime in August if everything goes well, we can begin demolishing the current hangar."
The current Hangar One facility, vacant since around this time last year, is a long-standing structure from the 1920s.
Rouleau said bricks on the 80-plus-year building have fallen off, so a security fence has been installed around the property. In addition, an entire portion of the wall on the west side recently came down, resulting in a significant noticeable hole. Additionally, there is asbestos in the facility.
"Hopefully construction on the new facility can begin this fall," said Rouleau. "It will take about a year to build. Hopefully, Sovereign can get some stuff done over the next few months such as obtain some financing and materials and then pour in the foundation in the fall and continue building throughout the winter."
Demolition was originally delayed after members of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois said the hangar has historic significance.
Because of the delays, the airport has not received any rent from Sovereign, even though Rouleau and staff were anticipating seeing some revenue last fiscal year, which ended this past Apr. 30. He added they are not expecting any money from Sovereign for the upcoming fiscal year as well.
According to Rouleau, Sovereign is expected to pay nearly $208,000 in rent on an annual basis.
Hangar One housed between eight and nine aircrafts at any given time depending on the size of the plane. It was also home to the Palwaukee Flyers, an aviation training school.
Both Wheeling and Prospect Hts. own the airport.
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