Innovative Public/Private Partnership Will Demolish Old Aeronca Facility

A public/private consortium in Ohio has received a $3 million grant from the Clean Ohio Fund to demolish the original home of Aeronca in hopes of making the 18-acre site a flashpoint for economic development. The Dayton Business Journal reports city officials in Middletown (OH) are working with Aeronca to rehabilitate the site at Hook Field.

"We want to see this airport become an economic development amenity," said Larry Wood, director of the Middletown Economic Development Corp. "Is it going to be like Dayton International or Cincinnati? No. We're going to be a destination and home for the corporate jet community and other aviation-related businesses."

"This is very important acreage and a key location," said Middletown City Manager Ron Olsen. "It's key to the airport. To keep that kind of industry near the airport and have that opportunity for growth there is really important."

The plan came together after Middletown decided it wanted to keep Aeronca from relocating. In order to do that, it offered the company some leeway in deciding how best to deal with the unused real estate, which borders the runway at Hook.

Of the $3 million to be used at the site, Aeronca put up the majority of a $1 million matching fund. Most of the money -- $2.5 million -- will be used to dispose of asbestos in the original Aeronca plant and to clean up contaminated ground surrounding the building.

FMI: www.aeroncainc.com