The Columbus Municipal Airport is preparing to undergo another renovation, this time to Blackerby’s Hangar 5 Restaurant located in the airport’s main terminal building.
Members of the Columbus Board of Aviation Commissioners approved a contract with Rowland Design, Indianapolis, to complete initial design work for a remodel of the restaurant, which was not updated as part of the terminal building remodel completed in 2015.
Airport director Brian Payne said he wants the visuals of the restaurant to match the visuals of the rest of the terminal. Blackerby’s has a distinctly different look from the rest of the building, Payne said, which takes away from a cohesive feel.
Rowland, which served as designer for the terminal building project, is in the early stages of developing the restaurant’s new design, which Payne said will likely have a modern look that closely mirrors design elements found throughout the terminal building.
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The back counter in the restaurant will be completely taken out and the current seating arrangement will be reconfigured, allowing 25 additional seats, a move intended to cut down on wait times, Payne said. The weekends are particularly busy at Blackerby’s, with patrons often forced to wait for a seat, he said.
The changes are projected to lead to a 15 percent increase in the number of customers served, Payne told aviation commissioners. That would lead to an increase in profits, which, in turn, would benefit the airport because the restaurant’s lease with the airport is based on the price per plate. Starting Friday, the price per plate payment will be 9 cents, which covers the cost of using airport space, Payne said.
The estimated cost of the project is between $150,000 and $200,000, including the price of the renovation and purchase of new furniture and booths, the airport director said.
Payne told commissioners that the goal is to complete design work and bidding this year to allow for construction to begin in January 2017. However, he did not yet have an estimate on how long the construction process would take.
Once the design work is complete, the board will be tasked with selecting the contractor to complete the renovation.
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Blackerby’s Hangar 5 Restaurant
- Address: 4770 Ray Boll Blvd., Suite 3, Columbus
- Phone: 812-378-4010
- Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily
- Menu: Breakfast, lunch and catering services available
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