Payne
City officials have approved funding to help the airport prepare some of its property for future leasing and development.
Columbus City Council voted Tuesday to pass a resolution authorizing the Columbus Redevelopment Commission to give $1.15 million to Columbus Municipal Airport to fund an extension of Grissom Street. The funds come from the airport Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. While the redevelopment commission has already approved this expenditure, council approval is required for any commission expenditure that exceeds $500,000.
The street extension is part of the airport’s plans for an “airplex commerce center” that will include 15 parcels to be leased primarily to industrial tenants.
Airport director Brian Payne told the council that the project area is currently one large plat that cannot be leased in its current condition, hence the desire to split it into several parcels.
“We actually are currently in negotiations on the first parcel of ground, possibly could go before the airport board at their next meeting with the possibility of leasing that ground once the project is complete,” he added.
The $1.15 million will be used to extend Grissom Street near the Columbus Police Department firing range east to a new road that will be called Suverkrup Drive, which will run south and intersect with Poshard Drive, Payne said at a previous city meeting.
The funds will also be used to add water and sewer utilities for parcels and add new infrastructure nearby, such as a crosswalk across from Poshard Drive connecting Suverkrup Drive to Deerbrook Drive and a side path on the Columbus People Trail down Poshard Drive to Middle Road.
According to city officials, Milestone Contractors was the low bidder on the project with a proposal of $1.108 million. Payne expects the work to be completed by the end of June.
