Greenwood commits nearly $1.5 million to upgrade airport

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) — The City of Greenwood’s Redevelopment Commission approved funds for airport facility and technology improvements as its meeting Tuesday night.

The vote for funding airport improvements was unanimous among the commissioners.

During the meeting some said it was an important investment to attracting business to Greenwood.

“It’s an important asset of the City of the Greenwood,” RDC President Brent Tilson said.

At the Redevelopment Commission meeting Tuesday, the city asked for nearly $1.5 million for improvements.

After discussion, all commissioners said yes, including Tilson.

“It’s important that we, as a community, invest in that development,” he said.

Upgrades at the airport will include new hangars for corporate jets.

The Airport Manager Lori Curless said that’s a big way to bring in more money.

“Those type of aircraft will be buying fuel, they’ll be paying a monthly lease, they’ll be increasing operations as well as using our services and amenities that we have at the airport, so they’re very high revenue,” she said.

New updated runway lighting will also make it safer for pilots to land in Greenwood.

Oftentimes the pilots don’t even have a choice to land south of Indy.

“Just as early as today with the weather and the visibility we had to have jets go into Indianapolis International,” Curless said.

Tilson said even though $1.5 million seems like a lot, the city is really having to play catch up for years of not making needed updates.

“A project such as an airport is not an inexpensive piece of property to maintain,” Tilson said, “Had we made investments over time we wouldn’t be making the significant investments we need to make today.”

On a larger scale, Tilson said investing in the County Line Rd. and I-65 area will be big for the city because of a number of other projects close by.

“The airport is right in that area and it’s an important complement to the development happening in that space,” he said.

Curless is glad the airport is one way to help make Greenwood more attractive.

“Very excited that they see the potential of the airport and that we’re moving forward in the right direction,” she said.

Also at the meeting, the Redevelopment Commission officially approved the city’s purchase of the current downtown Greenwood Middle School property.

That will cost the city $1 million.

Eventually, when the new middle school building is complete, the city will use the land downtown for new developments.