Could service center jump-start Chicago Executive Airport revenue?
Custodians of Chicago Executive Airport reacted skeptically to some of the ideas consultants say could spark economic growth at the facility co-owned by Wheeling and Prospect Heights.
In a 40-page report, the first step of a long-term study into the state's third-busiest airport, consultant Crawford, Murphy & Tilly argues that an aircraft service center could jump-start revenue for the two communities — almost $890,000 in estimated sales and property taxes — and bring high-paying and highly skilled jobs to the region.
But such a facility also would likely add flights to Chicago Executive, raising eyebrows from several Wheeling trustees and neighbors who already complain about noise overhead.
Brad Hamilton, one of the consultants, said the idea isn't fully vetted but would fill a void in the area. The service center would complement, not replace, the airport's existing fixed-based operators, who provide fuel, charter services and light maintenance.
The center, by contrast, would be “a very different type of operation,” Hamilton said, offering major repairs for particular models, such as engine overhauls, painting and other specialized maintenance. Though the consultants didn't identify where it would go, the center ideally would be located on the airport grounds.
Hamilton said he expects a “fairly low volume” of additional traffic from pilots not already based at Chicago Executive. “You're talking about major rehabilitation or major improvement to that aircraft, which means it's going to be down for three, four weeks at a time,” he said.
Wheeling Trustee Dave Vogel questioned whether there's enough demand for a maintenance center of the size called for by consultants — who envision about 350 employees — from the current activity at the airport.
Trustee Mary Papantos, a member of a group called Citizens Against Runway Expansion, said “she has a problem” with an uptick in traffic.
“When I look at the development considerations — the noise, the safety factor and the environmental impact — those are three chief things that the community said, ‘We're worried about,'” Papantos said. “Bringing in more planes does not help solve that situation.”
She said she is also concerned about another redevelopment strategy raised by the consultants: designating an area as a foreign trade zone. The report defines it as a special district created by the federal government that would provide “supporting services and warehousing capacity to store or process foreign goods brought into the country.”
“We do not want to see that airport become a cargo airport,” Papantos said. “When I hear goods coming in and coming out, it gives us concern as far as that goes.”
Prospect Height Ward 4 Aldermen Patrick Ludvigsen took a different stance on the direction of the study.
“I've heard some comments about we can't extend the runway,” he said. “We can't build a maintenance facility because that's going to increase operations, and I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around — isn't this study about increasing operations?”
Hamilton promised the second phase would forecast demand for the airport up to 20 years out and identify facilities to meet that demand.
Overall, Vogel said he was disappointed in the “Visioning Report” and called for “more fleshed-out” Phase II, which would create a master blueprint for the airport.
“I didn't really feel there was a lot of substance to it,” Vogel said of the report. “Ninety percent of it I think we already knew. We knew there is a TIF district in Wheeling. We know there's economic opportunities. We've been hearing that for 10 years.”
Still, trustees and Prospect Heights aldermen agreed during their joint meeting this week to begin part of the second phase by surveying airport users and setting up an advisory committee of neighbors and officials, among other tasks.