HED:
Developer may
pull wings from
private airport
Art: Photo (for jump page)
Cutline:
GROUNDED — The terminal for the
Clair McMillen, majority owner
of the airport, acknowledged that the private airport’s time may have come.
“Private airports cannot compete with government owned airports,” he said. “It’s time to close that airport.” McMillen
became the majority shareholder of the Community Airpark Association Inc. 10
years ago. He said the majority holder
at the time was threatening to close the airport and sell it. McMillen now owns more than 50 percent of the
shares. At the annual shareholders meeting on June 20, the board decided to
grant the option to sell the102-acre property to Lloyd Goff, a developer and
businessman from
Goff describes himself as a packager. “I put deals together and bring the players to the table,” he said. If Goff closes on the deal he will have 135 acres, including lots surrounding the airport, to create a “self-contained, tiny town” on the airport site. He said he would like to “make it into a small village, a new town in a town.”
“I don’t intend to build any rockets,” Lloyd Goff said jokingly. “But I don’t have a pre-conceived plan.” What Goff does have is a mental picture. Goff’s mixed-use vision includes a senior center, affordable housing and other residential units, medical offices, recreational opportunities, retail and restaurants. If possible, Goff would have the existing terminal remain in the development as a multi-modal transportation center. He envisions parking area, bus services and space for helicopters to land. While Goff’s plans might be able to accommodate the helicopter businesses that currently surround the airport, many other businesses stand to suffer greatly if the airport closes.
Poudre Aviation Inc. has operated around the airport for the past year and a half. Owner Jim Crisman, however, has worked at other companies on or around the site for 24 years. Crisman said he was notified about the Goff’s option around the end of June. He rents terminal and hanger space to accommodate his work, but said he has no set lease. Crisman estimates there are 45 to 50 people renting space from the airport.
He said his options are to move to either the Greeley/Weld airport or the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport.
“I’ve been contemplating it, but I haven’t decided on a course of action,” he said.
Gerald Gates, owner of the
Paravion Technologies and Century Helicopters have operated from the same site since 1978. Michael Hansen, general manager of the companies, said he does not know all of the facts, so has not begun speculate on where he will go.
Century Helicopters will be
minimally affected because the company has an onsite-landing pad. However, some of the two companies’
operations might have to be moved, either to the
“We’re taking a wait-and-see
approach,” he said. “It will have an
impact (if the airport closes).” Hansen said a closure would push manufacturing
jobs out of
A 2003 report from the Colorado
Department of Transportation determined the economic impact of
Francis is giving his 1958
Cessna a makeover. He is planning a
$2,000 leather interior refurbishing and will hire a
He likens the potential closure to the popular song lyrics, “You don’t know what you got ‘til its gone.” There is room just down the road for the displaced businesses and airplanes, according to Dave Gordon, the director of the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport. He said he has already been approached by several people inquiring into the availability of space at the airport. He said the airport is not currently equipped for such an expansion, but that the land and the support are there. Gordon said it would be possible to accommodate all of the businesses and private planes at the airport with some expansion.
“I think the two cities are assuming the airport will grow,” he said.
A master plan is under works for
the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport.
Gordon said the plan would include a scenario for the possible closing
of the
Goff scheduled a meeting on Aug. 18, after this edition of the Business Report went to press, to discuss the future of the airport site. He invited about 250 land and business owners in the area. He said keeping an open line of communication about the possible project is very important to its success. “The secret to a project like this is to get a consensus,” he said. According to Goff, there is always controversy and debate at the beginning of a big change. By involving as many members of the community in the planning and decision process, Goff hopes the transition will go more smoothly.
One of the major changes for
the project will be annexation. The land
is currently part of
Goff’s interest in developing the land actually began four years ago when he was involved in the development of a 40-acre residential site just north of the airport. In order to develop the land, Goff and his associates were required to provide a secondary access to the development to meet the demands of the Fort Collins Fire Department. The developers bought 26 acres abutting the site, but were told that the secondary access could not be built on that land. According to Goff, the only land acceptable was part of the airport. They wanted to buy 21 acres of unused airport land, but were delayed.
A West Coast developer heard of the impending deal to sell the small parcel of land. That developer then made an offer to buy the whole site.
Goff waited 90 days after hearing of the possible deal before returning to the airport owners to discuss the possibility of buying the whole site. According to Goff, they offered to sell him the site for a good price.
Goff is not wet behind the ears
when it comes to developing. He spent 15
years managing 100 city blocks in
The
Don Vessey was one of the original developers of the airport. His grandson, Ben Vessey, is a flight instructor for Poudre Aviation. Vessey started there five months ago.
“I’ve been here my entire life,” he said. Vessey’s father is a shareholder.
Vessey’s whole career was based
on the time he spent at the