Johnstown airport officials seeking bids on hangar, terminal renovations
Jun. 30—John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport could see a list of upgrades inside and out within the coming year.
Airport officials are seeking bids on four separate projects to install efficient LED lighting in the parking lot and terminal, replace roofing on two sections of the airport building and add a two-unit hangar nearby.
The two-unit hangar would be developed to accommodate corporate aircraft or support plane maintenance, airport authority officials said in a May interview. Aircraft storage space has been full in recent months.
Cree said that the hangar project is the only one that likely won't be completed this year, due to delays in steel deliveries.
If bids are suitable, the lighting projects will likely get underway this summer, he said. Upgrades for the overhead lights in the parking lot are particularly urgent, he said, adding that failures of those lights have become common in recent years.
In addition to adding new LED lighting inside the terminal building, the Transportation Security Administration's baggage-checking area is also being enclosed to make it more secure.
A throughway to separate departing passengers from those arriving will also be constructed inside the terminal to allow a federally mandated security gate to remain in place while travelers are exiting to claim baggage, Cree said.
TSA staff requested the change, he said.
The roof work will only focus on two flat portions of the building, including an area above the restaurant space occupied by Flair of Country.
Upgrades to the terminal building, which was built in 1999, will likely cost $500,000, including engineering and construction fees, he said.
The airport authority received a zoning variance last month to add a rental car wash to the airport property. The move fulfills a pledge to add the amenity that authority officials made to attract Hertz to add an on-site rental service earlier this year.
Cree said the "no-frills" wash bay will be available by lease to any companies that operate a rental business on the property. The indoor washing area will consist of a prefabricated steel garage with water and electric heat, he said.
Federal CARES Act funds are being used to build the hangar. The additional projects are being covered through authority funds.
Bids are due July 19.
In a procedural move, airport officials were able to confirm that documents in SkyWest Airlines' bid to continue serving Johnstown were received by U.S. Department of Transportation officials in time to meet a June 24 deadline, Cree said.
That provides assurance that SkyWest will continue to offer service from Johnstown to Chicago and Washington-Dulles under the United Express banner through fall 2023.
Airport officials acknowledged last week that the uncertainty over Johnstown's next carrier caused bookings to slow down for the summer months — compared to record numbers last summer.
They're hopeful that will change now that SkyWest is locked in for the remainder of its three-year contract because the summer flight schedule is no longer uncertain.
"We're excited about that because it gives the public confidence SkyWest is staying and that they can book flights this year or even next year without worrying who will be serving (Johnstown)," Cree said.
