The Bradford Regional Airport Authority on Wednesday signed off
on a key document, which paves the way for the development of a
Pennsylvania Army National Guard armory on airport grounds.

During a meeting of the authority, officials discussed where the
development stands and gave approval to a deed of release, which
essentially turns over the land to the state Department of General
Services for the armory.

If all the paperwork goes through – the Federal Aviation
Administration is also involved in the transaction and will be
reviewing the document and issuing its own deed of release – the
tentative closing date is slated for Dec. 8, according to Airport
Director Tom Frungillo.

Officials said work on the armory could begin sometime in the
spring.

“They are basically getting the key to the land,” Frungillo said
following the meeting. “It’s really like when you sell a house, but
a little bit more complex.”

According to Frungillo, once the property is turned over to the
National Guard for development, the next step in the more than year
long process is awaiting the release of funding in the federal
budget, followed by letting out for bid the construction of the
actual armory. Meanwhile, conceptual drawings are being
developed.

“It’s been quite a process,” Frungillo said, adding “the
excitement will occur when some ground begins to move and we
actually see the facility being built. Hopefully, that will
eventually lead to more activity up here and lead us on to better
and greater things.”

Wednesday’s step marked the last one for the airport in bringing
the $5.7 million armory to the Lafayette Township location.

In March, airport fathers signed an agreement of sale to turn
over a portion of the airport’s land – 23.48 acres near the access
road – for the development of the 32,497 square foot armory. As
part of the deal – which was hashed out between airport officials,
the Guard, Department of General Services and FAA – 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.

Officials said most of the timber at that location is cherry;
the authority currently has a timber program in place.

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 deal also involved the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation’s Bureau of Aviation. A series of environmental
tests were also completed.

According to a copy of the deed of release obtained by The Era,
the parcel was sold for $6,814.31 an acre for a total of $160,000.
The funds will be used for capital improvement and the operation of
the airport, per federal law and FAA policy.

The deed indicates the sales price for the property was
negotiated and is reasonably consistent with two appraisals
conducted in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional
Appraisal Practice of the Appraisal Foundation, with one conducted
by the Department of General Services and another by the
authority.

Meanwhile, the document also restricts the height of structures
on the land and prevents any use of it that would interfere with
the airport’s main operations.

The construction of the armory is part of the 56th Brigade’s
transformation to a Stryker Brigade as part of an overhaul of the
country’s armed services.

In other news, the authority heard an update concerning the
transition of current carrier Colgan Air Inc., to Washington’s
Dulles International Airport.

Frungillo said that process is also moving along, with Colgan
officials working on obtaining a flight number for United Airlines.
Officials said previously the airline was looking at having
codesharing agreements with both parent airline US Airways and
United in an effort to expand service and destinations.

Colgan is also currently looking at putting its new schedule
into the Customer Reservation System, which usually takes around 30
days to complete, with another 90 days to sell tickets.

All of that means the airline is targeting the spring to begin
service, according to officials.

“Colgan has the major work on their end of it,” Frungillo
said.

Meanwhile, authority members have received a copy of the draft
2007 budget, which will be voted on at December’s meeting. The
budget is slated to be balanced again.

The authority also convened in executive session at the end of
the meeting for a personnel matter.