The Hillsdale City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 2 to approve the contract for a new terminal at the Hillsdale Municipal Airport, with plans to break ground in the spring.
“It’s good to see the progress being done out there,” said Councilman Tony Vear, who represents Ward 1. “These improvements aren’t just for the college. It’s a community airport that the college will use and so will everybody else. This is a big step in updating Hillsdale and keeping it moving forward.”
Smaller airports competed last year for grants from the Federal Aviation Administration to improve and update its facilities, according to Airport Manager Ginger Moore. These grants came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that President Joe Biden signed in November 2021, and according to the FAA they are part of a larger initiative to update airport infrastructure in the United States.
Moore said the Michigan Department of Transportation will be in charge of the project and they plan to start construction on March 1, 2024.
“Our airport has consistently received an A+ on inspections, but we were still surprised and delighted in the spring when we received a $2.5 million grant, the only airport in Michigan to receive money for a new terminal,” Moore said.
The full project will cost a little more than $3 million, according to City Manager David Mackie, with the expenses not covered by the grant to be split between the Michigan Department of Transportation and the City of Hillsdale.
“We are ready to start construction soon on the terminal, and the approval of the contract initiates that,” Mackie said.
Mackie also said during the meeting that the portion of the contract cost covered by the city will not come from general funds or other areas. Instead, it will be completely paid for by income from fuel sales at the airport during the past five years.
“The new terminal will be up to date and gorgeous,” Moore said. “Our airport is the front door to Hillsdale for many visitors, and this will really drastically improve that first impression.”
Mayor Adam Stockford agreed.
“It’s an airport. We have one. It should be in the 21st century,” he said.