LVIA hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Hangar 11, a 54,000 square-foot facility.

The Lehigh Valley International Airport (LVIA) broke ground today on its largest hangar to date, a move that will serve the growing demand for hangar space in the Northeast and foster future business growth and economic development in the region.

The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority (LNAA) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 21 to officially kick off construction of Hangar 11, a 54,000 square-foot facility designed for all types of general aviation aircraft.

“There is high demand for hangar space in the Northeast Corridor, and we have the land available to make this important infrastructure investment and feel strongly that Hangar 11 will be an attraction for more aircraft making their home in the Lehigh Valley,” said Thomas R. Stoudt, Executive Director of LNAA.

The $16.3 million project which will serve as a new home for corporate and general aviation aircraft, and marks the first hangar built at LVIA since 2006, Stoudt said. Construction is expected to last about 10 months.

Thomas Stoudt, Executive Director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, speaking at the Hangar 11 groundbreaking.

The airport authority received a $6 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Aviation to boost the financial feasibility in developing this project, according to bureau director Anthony McCloskey.

“The Hangar 11 project is another great example of providing and expanding opportunities for the airport and local community to grow in conjunction with spurring and attracting economic growth in the Lehigh Valley,” McCloskey said. “We at the state government and PennDOT are committed to helping our airports generate economic activity that builds jobs that pay.”

LVIA has experienced 18.9 percent increase in passenger traffic during June 2018, compared to June 2017, according to the authority. This marked a ninth consecutive month of positive passenger growth dating back to October 2017.

The new hangar is equipped to accommodate the newer line of corporate jets that weigh up to 100,000 pounds, such as the Gulfstream 650, a twin-engine business jet airplane with a wingspace of nearly 100 feet.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola, who attended the groundbreaking, is a former LNAA board member and sits on the Pennsylvania Senate Aviation Caucus. She noted that it was exactly one year ago that LVIA celebrated the completion of its Multi-Modal Transportation Center, which also received state funding.

“Through the state assistance, the Lehigh Valley International Airport has been able to move forward with this project and will be able to use its competitive advantage to attract corporate clients who will save substantially by leasing here instead of paying higher corporate costs at other airports across the Northeast,” Boscola said.

Taylor Munoz, Chief of Staff to state Sen. Mario Scavello, added: “This project and the funding made available through the state is an outstanding example of the power of partnerships, and what happens when you leverage both state and local investments.”

LVIA currently has 120 based aircraft. Allegiant Air, American, Delta, and United have 11 nonstop destinations to both leisure destinations and major airline hubs with connections to the world.

LVIA’s nonstop destinations include Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Myrtle Beach (seasonal), Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Punta Gorda, and Tampa Bay.

The Bath-based Grace Industries, Inc. was chosen as general contractor for the Hangar 11 construction. Other contractors include Boro Construction from King of Prussia (electrical), Guy M. Cooper, Inc. from Willow Grove (plumbing), and Shannon A. Smith, Inc. from Myerstown (HVAC).