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450 new jobs could come to Springfield airport

Projection is contained in a request for funding to relocate Ohio 794.

Bill Lackey/Staff Photo A vehicle travels along Ohio 794 near the Springfield Air National Guard Base.

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By Brandon Smith-Hebson, Staff Writer Updated 8:22 AM Thursday, February 9, 2012

SPRINGFIELD — State and local economic development offices anticipate up to 450 new private-sector jobs at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in the next few years, according to internal state budget documents.

Economic development officials weren’t ready announce the growth projections, but the Springfield News-Sun discovered them in a state budgeting process for relocating Ohio 794.

Tom Franzen, economic development officer at the city of Springfield, confirmed the number.

In requesting the approval of the final chunk of funding for the road project, the Ohio Department of Development cited the jobs growth estimate.

Job growth is dependent on the road being moved, according to the department. And approval rests on the members of the Ohio Controlling Board, who are set to vote on the issue Monday.

“Two big projects are on the horizon that we expect to take place and move forward in 2012,” said Franzen. “I hope within the next 30 days we’ll have some good news to announce.”

In Ohio 794’s current position bordering the airport to the north, it is too close to air base buildings to meet anti-terrorism standards the military set after 9/11. To keep the air base a viable option for military missions, the road has to be moved, several officials have said, and plans to do it were made four years ago.

The 450-job estimate will take years to achieve and is composed of several parts, according to Franzen:

• The two pending projects will bring 100 to 150 jobs to the air park.

• Three companies already at the park — Spectra Jet, SelectTech Geospatial, and MEVA Formworks — have plans to expand in the coming year or two, bringing 80 to 100 jobs.

• United Fiberglass of America estimates another 20 to 25 jobs.

• Privatizing the air traffic control tower and the new flight school will likely bring about 10 new jobs.

• The remaining 220 or so private-sector jobs will likely be in smaller projects related to the distribution industry and the unmanned air vehicle market.

The Air National Guard has embarked on a UAV mission at the city-owned airport.

Many new jobs at the park will be in the $32,000-$38,000 salary range, officials estimated.

The road project will go out for contractors’ bids in July or December this year, depending on whether federal money is used for an environmental project associated with the road, said Paul DeButy, a planning engineer with Clark County.

Those bid dates would result in completion dates of late 2013 or early 2014, respectively, DeButy said.

Only $50,000 of the $2.7 million project will ultimately come from county and city sources. The rest will come from state and federal grants and road programs, DeButy said.

After the re-routing, Ohio 794, also known as Blee Road, will be turned over to the county to manage, DeButy said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0353 or at bsmith@coxohio.com.

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