The proposed Pennsylvania Army National Guard armory on Bradford
Regional Airport property is inching closer to fruition.
During the Bradford Regional Airport Authority’s meeting
Wednesday, Airport Manager Tom Frungillo said a second review
appraisal was done at the proposed site for the armory, a 22-acre
chunk of land situated just off the airport’s access road leading
to the facility.
“We have met with the National Guard representatives and
negotiations will be finalized soon,” Frungillo said. “It will
definitely be a big boost for this airport.”
Officials have not given a definitive date on when a final
decision will be made on the armory project.
For the past several months, there have been ongoing talks
between the National Guard and state Department of General Services
and the Federal Aviation Administration over whether the land the
armory will sit on will be purchased or part of a lease agreement.
The FAA has indicated it prefers a lease agreement with the
Guard.
The airport vicinity already boasts of natural gas and electric,
and will soon have municipal water and sewer service as part of the
ongoing $1.6 million line extension project through Lafayette
Township to the airport; a major drawing point for the Guard. That
project is currently under way.
The $6.1 million armory project has been slated for full funding
through the U.S. Department of Defense. The Guard requested $15
million from the state to buy land for new armories throughout the
state as part of the 56th Brigade’s changeover to a new type of
fighting force.
The proposal entails closing barracks in Bradford, Ridgway and
Kane.
Frungillo said earlier this year the armory will likely be
larger than the airport’s terminal building and include a barracks
and a facility to make repairs to the Guard’s vehicles. Officials
have said previously that four or five Stryker vehicles would be
located at the armory and have indicated five to 10 full-time
people will work at the facility during the week, with upward of
100 people coming to the armory over the weekend.
In other news, Frungillo said after the meeting that regional
airline AirLink Express is still interested in flying into
Bradford, and becoming a second airline servicing the facility.
Frungillo said the airline has received some responses from
people in the area, noting the carrier is trying to develop a
marketing plan to ensure the feasibility of adding Bradford as a
destination.
“They are still asking people to take their online survey,”
Frungillo said. The airline’s Web site is
www.flyairlinkexpress.com. A link to the survey is located on the
main page.
The airline touts every day low fares, point-to-point service
with shorter travel times and the elimination of layovers at
hubs.
