New Terminal Unlikely for North Adams Airport

The Airport Commission opted to continue on paving improvements rather than shift what funding it has toward a new terminal.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A lack of funding means no new terminal for Harriman-West Airport.

Last month, the Airport Commission learned that Phase II of the airport's apron project may be in jeopardy because of an unforeseen increase in the city's share of the project. With a $70,000 gap in funding, the city has only enough to finish engineering and design work.

Airport Manager Bill Greenwald on Tuesday asked what the commission thought about instead of funding Phase II, the city funds the terminal building project. He said he believed this would be a bigger asset to the airport.

"If we have limited ability to borrow, what is more important?" Greenwald said. "For what it's worth ... I think that terminal building provides more benefit to our facility than more paving."

Greenwald said he felt a new terminal building would secure more business for the airport. He said he often receives calls from people asking about facilities the airport does not have.

Because of the minimal amount of funds left for the airport and the inability to use Federal Aviation Administration funds for the terminal project, Chairman Jeffrey Naughton said he thinks the commission should stay on its current path.

"We have enough money to finish engineering and design work on Phase II, and I also think while we are doing the infrastructure work on this airport … we should complete the infrastructure of the airport," Naughton said.

Administrative Officer Michael Canales said even if Phase I of the project costs less than the city anticipates, it will most likely only to be able to afford one of the projects.

"We don't even have the funds to complete Phase II so if Phase I was to come under 10 or 15 percent then we may have the money to do Phase II," Cales said. "We don't have the money to do Phase II and the terminal building. It probably is an either-or scenario."

The commission also chose a tie-down design for the airport that favors practicality over the number of planes that can be tied down.

The commission chose option one, which allows for 17 planes to be tied down. Option 2 allowed for 18 with two tie downs for large planes and option 3 allowed for 22 tie downs.

Greenwald said option one allows for easier maneuverability, snow removal, easier taxiing, and access.  

"When I looked at this quickly, and thinking about practicality and usefulness and how many we actually, need the increase or decrease of a couple seem less important than the usefulness of them," he said. "…This is the ideal even if it's a few short of the maximum."

He said multiple tie downs could be used to tie down larger planes.

Commissioner James Neville asked if it was critical that all of the tie downs had electricity. He felt money could be saved by only providing some tie downs with electricity.

"Is there a need to electrify every tie down?" Neville said. "… if we need to trim numbers let's do four or five."

The commission said it might be worthwhile to provide the infrastructure to power all of the tie downs, but only actually install some until more funds are found.

A Gale Engineering representative said it may be possible to cut costs by not extending the sewer and water lines. He said he believes eliminating the water line could save $60,000 and the sewer line could save nearly $30,000.

The commission asked that Gale look into other options for materials for the water line that may be cheaper and more definitive numbers. 

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