Following a ground-breaking ceremony in July 2017, Arizona’s Scottsdale Airport has now unveiled its Aviation Business Centre, veteran’s memorial, executive hangars and restaurant, marking the completion of a major US$27 million redevelopment project.
A popular business and general aviation hub providing a gateway to more than 5,300 airports, Scottsdale is centrally located in an industrial-zoned area. Both the airport and its Commerce Airpark are a major economic asset for the city and surrounding region. The Commerce Airpark alone is headquarters to over 30 national/ regional corporations and serves as a base for around 2,500 small and medium-sized businesses accounting for over 48,000 jobs.
Over recent years, the airport has experienced a growth in air traffic and the size of aircraft wanting to land. In 2017 it welcomed 168,126 operations with over 1,000 of those processed by US customers inspections. The newly revamped site not only optimises the space available but it also accommodates increased aircraft parking and hangar space.
The new modern facility makes better use of the existing footprint, making optimal use of the space available and creating additional aircraft parking and hangar space. Members of the public can now also experience the airport via the new restaurant, public viewing deck and park-like plaza area.
Not forgetting Scottsdale’s roots as a training field for pilots and crew during World War II, the new Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial features a WWII era PT-17 Stearman aircraft.
Meanwhile the new Volanti Restaurant and Lounge opened on Monday 26 November offering unbeatable views of the airport and McDowell Mountains. There are also two new meeting rooms and a patio area available for rent. And elsewhere in the facility, glass art by Martin Donlin has been installed to reflect the surrounding Arizona desert landscape.
JE Dunn Construction were awarded the building contract for the new Aviation Business Centre, with Mead & Hunt as the engineering firm, while DWL Architects were behind the design. The US$27 million cost has been financed through city-issued bonds as well as tourism development funds.
