Kutztown, N31, in jeopardy.

[grattonja]

KUTZTOWN, Pa. (AP)
The future of Kutztown Airport is
up in the air.


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The owner of the property isn't
going to renew the ten-year lease
on the 90 acres in Maxatawny Township.

Officials learned of the decision a
week before the airport's 60th anniversary.

Nicholas Prikis of Kutztown has owned
the site for 12 years. He says he's
willing to allow the airport to stay in
operation through its busy summer season
but wants it to close by September or
October.

Prikis says he doesn't have another
tenant but doesn't want to commit to
another ten-year lease.

Officials are asking the state Department
of Transportation's Bureau of Aviation to
conduct a feasibility study of other possible
locations nearby.

The airport was officially opened as the
Kutztown Airpark on May 30th, 1945.

It has more than 20 employees and about
47 people have planes in hangars there.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


Lifted from the thread on Quakertown FBO. I thought this one was too important to not discuss. What can we do?

I am not based there but this is a regular food stop for me. The Kutztown Diner is one of the few fly in places that I know of where you can park the plane on the grass outside the diner, and walk in and eat. The runway, with it's big dip in the middle, and smaller dip on the north end is, to say the least, unique. Excellent and challenging TOL training. The place is quite viable for a small GA facility, with active parachute drops and glider training, as well as biplane rides.

Is there anyone on here connected with AOPA who can pass this info along? Robert? I think it would be a genuine shame to lose this place, a real loss to Central Pa.

Jim G

 

[poadeleted3]

I doubt there is much AOPA can do. It doesn't sound like the land's owner is interested in renewing the lease, and he doesn't have to. No doubt, he's been getting nibbles from developers. The only way to be sure the airport doesn't close is to buy the land. Feel like becoming an investor in a small airport?

I know of another airport near here who's owner is debating whether or not to accept state and federal funds he's been offered. If he accepts the funding, of course, he's obligated to leave the land as an airport for the next 20 years. The airport has had a couple ritzy housing divisions pop up around it, and developers see the possibility of doing the same to the airport. Potentially more money to be made from closing the airport and selling the land than their is to be had from aviation.

 

[bstratt]

Assuming he has received no fed funds, and therefor the FAA isn't involved, I can only assume he won't renew the lease because he has plans for alternate usage, such as sell to a developer. As its his land, the only thing I think can be done is to purchase the land by beating the profit he expects to make by selling it/developing it.

Alternatively, the local govt can cut him a tax break on the airport revenue to boost his "after tax" income.

edit: Joe beat me to it. Same thoughts though!

 

[Anthony]

I know of another airport near here who's owner is debating whether or not to accept state and federal funds he's been offered. If he accepts the funding, of course, he's obligated to leave the land as an airport for the next 20 years. The airport has had a couple ritzy housing divisions pop up around it, and developers see the possibility of doing the same to the airport. Potentially more money to be made from closing the airport and selling the land than their is to be had from aviation.

Joe is this N10, Perkiomen Valley? When I used to get my avionics work there I noticed the new housing development right next to the airport. I asked about it and the FBO guy told me the real estate firm moved the sales office/model home to the other side of the development to make it as far from the airport as possible. Nothing like full disclosure.