Rendering provided by Singer Architects of Fort Lauderdale
By Jane Smith
The Palm Beach County Park Airport (Lantana airport) will get a new operator in April, the first change in 60 years. And with that new operator will come $5.5 million in improvements.
Galaxy Aviation, based in Boca Raton, was picked in mid-August by a seven-man selection committee. Initial plans call for self-service fuel pumps and a “wash-rack” for cleaning aircraft, completed by October 2014. First-phase costs, including a new fuel farm and minimal landscaping, are estimated to be $535,000.
“We are very excited about it,” said Jonathan Miller, executive vice president at Galaxy. “We see a lot of opportunities there to upgrade the operation.”
In the second phase, the company plans to demolish the Florida farmhouse-style terminal, according to its proposal filed with the Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Galaxy plans to replace it with a 4,500-square-foot, single-story building. The terminal will be designed in the Frank Lloyd Wright style, such as the Curtis Meyer House in Michigan, Miller said.
Galaxy might build a two-story terminal if there is enough demand. The new terminal will be done by October 2017. During the construction period, employees will work out of a temporary building.
The second phase also calls for parking lot improvements at $250,000 and a grand entrance with a water fountain or an aviator sculpture garden for $150,000. All told, phase two costs are estimated to be $1.15 million.
Phase three, which can start at any time, would create two additional areas for 40 hangars with buildings constructed of pre-engineered metal or concrete and masonry. Total cost for this phase is $3.5 million, with a completion date of October 2021.
According to its proposal, Galaxy offered to share 51.2 percent of the hangar rentals with the county airport department, pay 15 cents per square foot in ground rent for the 637,250 square feet that makes up Lantana airport and invest $5.5 million in capital improvements.
Galaxy offered a 30-year lease with two periods of 10-year renewals. The county offered only a 30-year lease. Miller said Galaxy needs the extra years to amortize its multimillion-dollar investment.
Galaxy’s proposal was ranked first among four by the selection committee.
County airport officials have to work out the terms of the lease with Galaxy, and then the County Commission has to approve the deal before Galaxy can take over on April 1.
Galaxy will operate as Galaxy Aviation of South Palm Beach at the Lantana airport. The company also runs the Boca Raton and Stuart airports, along with three others in Florida and one in Colorado.
The Lantana airport, with 125,000 takeoffs or landings in 2012, is restricted to fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Jets are not allowed. It does not have an aircraft control tower, and aircraft follow a voluntary noise-abatement plan. It also does not charge landing fees.
“We are limited by the weight of the aircraft that can land there,” Galaxy’s Miller said, “but we see some improvements that can be made for the tenants and the community.”
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