City of Detroit to revitalize Coleman A. Young International Airport
(CBS DETROIT) — The City of Detroit announced on Tuesday plans to revitalize Coleman A. Young International Airport.
The proposed project is the first initiative to revitalize the airport in 50 years. According to a news release, the upgrades will support non-commercial aviation operations.
City officials say the Federal Aviation Administration approved a 20-year airport development and strategy design plan in 2023, allowing the airport to apply for funding.
"There is so much potential at the Coleman A. Young International Airport, and after several years of hard work, residents and visitors alike will begin to see signs of the enormous change to come as Avflight kicks off construction this summer," Detroit chief operating officer Brad Dick said in a statement. "I look forward to a few years from now, when Detroit once again has a truly state-of-the-art airport within our city limits."
According to the new release, the airport's service provider, AvFlight, will have a 30-year leasehold and construct a 3,000-square-foot modern terminal and a 15,000-square-foot heated hangar next to the existing terminal.
The Ann Arbor-based company has been the airport's fixed-base operator for more than 10 years. The company's new contract is the airport's first long-term lease in its history.
City officials say the airport supports Certified Aircraft Rescue Firefighting, Civil Air Patrol and the Detroit Police Department's aviation unit.
"We're proud of our operation at KDET," said Joe Meszaros, AvFlight's vice president of operations. "We've always seen the value in preserving Coleman A. Young International Airport's operations and have worked hard the last decade and a half to not only keep it operational, but also make it a successful enterprise—one that supports the city's economy by serving as a gateway to Detroit business and as an employer of Detroit's citizens."
Other improvements include a $1.2 million ramp pavement project and an $8.1 million engineered material arresting system to help stop airplanes at the end of the runway.
The projects come as the airport recently received a $350,000 LED taxi lighting upgrade and a $3.5 million runway renovation.
Originally known as Detroit City Airport, it covers 300 acres and handles more than 75,000 aircraft operations.
According to the Detroit Historical Society, it has been in operation for nearly 100 years, with the first aircraft landing in October 1927.
"It will be a facility citizens can be proud of, and one that will support many livelihoods as we look to double our staff with an increase in traffic, expand our service offerings and provide greater educational opportunities on the airfield," Meszaros said. "With the city and Avflight's investments, we're making significant strides to revitalize Coleman A. Young International Airport, carrying the city into a new generation of aviation."
