Manassas Regional Airport is looking to develop two remaining lots and cap off an expansion that began in 2018.
In August, the city will solicit proposals for two vacant lots left over from Chantilly Air’s expansion at the airport. The city would like to see private companies build aircraft storage hangars, ramps and car parking at the two lots — one 3.2 acres in size, and the other 6.9 acres — and enter 40 year-leases starting at $86,423 and $186,080 respectively.
“The money ends up going right into airport coffers, this is how the airport increases its revenues, by developing these properties and the city collects the taxes,” said Juan Rivera, the airport director. “It’s a win win for the airport and the city.”
An initial request for proposals brought in one pitch that had to be withdrawn due to an error with the bid amount. Rivera said he plans to re-issue the RFP at the start of August and hopefully receive bids over the course of the month.
Chantilly Air is expected to complete its part of the $13 million expansion in September, when it will become the airport’s second private service provider, offering services like fueling, concierge duties and maintenance for more than 400 aircraft based there. When completed, Chantilly’s facility will have over 90,000 square feet of hangar and office space along with amenities like passenger lounges, a crew fitness center and conference rooms at the state’s busiest general aviation airport.
RIver said that he’s received interest in the two remaining lots and doesn’t plan to make any substantive changes from the original RFP.
“We expect that it might be a corporate-style hangar that would benefit us in the long run,” Rivera said of potential tenants. “The advantage they would have is we don’t have any landing fees in Manassas, we have lower fuel prices on average, we have an FAA-run air traffic control tower … and we have a runway that’s pretty long for general aviation aircraft.”
The airport sees over 85,000 takeoffs and landings each year.