The Bradford Regional Airport Authority officially agreed
Wednesday to turn over a portion of airport property to the
Pennsylvania Army National Guard for the creation of a $5.7 million
armory at the site.

During its monthly meeting, airport fathers unanimously approved
an agreement of sale for the facility, calling the day a
“significant step” in the airport’s future.

Groundbreaking for the armory could come as early as late April
or early May, according to officials.

“This is a significant day and all our hard work has come to
fruition,” Airport Manager Tom Frungillo said. “Everybody played a
role in this. Hopefully, this is the beginning of the development
of this airport.”

Authority Chairman and McKean County Commissioner Clifford Lane
agreed, saying “It’s a big day for the county. We are looking
forward to the armory moving in.”

As part of the deal – which was hashed out between airport
officials, the Guard, the state Department of General Services and
Federal Aviation Administration, among others – the airport will
retain the mineral rights at the site and the ability to harvest
timber from any trees that are cut down during the armory’s
development.

When completed, the armory will sit on several acres of land
just off the access road to the airport. It will have access to one
of the airport’s handful of runways and measure
32,497-square-feet.

“We can’t just go clear cut the property,” Frungillo said. “We
have to work with the National Guard. Whatever timber that is
cleared we’ll get the benefit of that. We just didn’t want the
timber going to waste … it’s revenue for us.”

Frungillo said the timber is mostly cherry. The airport
currently has a timber program in place.

“It’s pretty much a standard lease across the state,” Frungillo
said of the paperwork, signed by Lane and himself.

The FAA and Guard went back and forth for several months
regarding whether the land would be leased or sold outright to the
Guard. The complex deal also involved the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation’s Bureau of Aviation.

The project is now waiting on word from a final environmental
impact study on the site; that is expected to come later this
month.

With the wheels bringing the armory to Bradford already
spinning, officials now hope the facility will have a positive
economic impact on the region.

“Not only will the new armory at the airport have a direct
impact on the ability of Pennsylvania’s National Guard to meet the
needs of our state and country, but it also has the potential to
create an environment around the airport that can attract and
incubate expanded business activity,” U.S. Rep. John Peterson,
R-Pa.’s, Communications Director Chris Tucker said Wednesday
afternoon. “Having this project come to fruition speaks volumes to
the great work that Tom (Frungillo) and others have been doing
lately.”

Land around the armory and along the access road has already
been approved under the Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) program,
which supplies limited property tax relief to businesses locating
there.

Other local lawmakers were also happy to hear about the sale
agreement.

“It’s a win-win situation for both them (Guard) and the
airport,” state Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway, said. “We are
extremely excited and pleased to see it come through. There is a
good team working on it and I’m pleased to be part of it.”

Scarnati said the armory will also help “bolster” use of the
airport. “There are a lot of good things happening.”

State Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, called the signing
“great news,” adding “putting the armories (Bradford, Ridgway and
Kane) together in one, central location at the airport will be
beneficial to the area and help the airport itself. I’m very happy
it’s moving forward.”

On Wednesday, authority engineer Ed Nasuti will travel to a
meeting regarding armories statewide in Fort Indiantown Gap.
Officials expect a designer/builder to be in place by Sept. 30.

“They feel they are making a worthwhile investment in the
future,” Frungillo said, referring to the Guard building new
armories across the state as part of a transition to a Stryker
Brigade. “They feel it will pump money into the area. The state is
also excited about it.”

According to The Associated Press, the Guard has 19,000 troops
and 107 facilities statewide, creating a $541.9 million annual
economic impact on the state.