Federal grant will help upgrade hangars at Auburn airport

Construction starts next month.

By Robert Whale • August 10, 2023 4:00 pm
The City of Auburn on Monday voted to accept FAA grant funding for the upgrading of existing hangars at the Auburn Municipal Airport to enclosed T-hangars to address an outsized waiting time for the structures. (File photo)
The City of Auburn on Monday voted to accept FAA grant funding for the upgrading of existing hangars at the Auburn Municipal Airport to enclosed T-hangars to address an outsized waiting time for the structures. File photo.

Anyone who wants to lease enclosed hangar space at the Auburn Municipal Airport today would have a long wait ahead of them.

As in 15 years. That’s a long time to cool one’s heels.

On Aug. 7, the Auburn City Council did something about that problem by accepting $587,000 in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to upgrade existing T-hangars to enclosed hangars at the airport.

The airport plans to install interior walls and exterior doors on a row of existing “open” hangars (Hangar Row G) to answer a portion of this demand and increase revenue at the airport. If the budget allows, the project would also remove and replace the existing canvas roll-up doors on Hangar Row J, which are beyond their useful life, according to the city.

The total estimated cost of this project is $1,962,000 and includes $625,000 of Airport Funds, a $750,000 Washington State Department of Transportation Community Aviation Revitalization Board loan, and the $587,000 FAA grant.

City staff applied for the grant and received the grant offer. The grant funds are accepted using an FAA Grant Agreement. The city has to accept the offer no later than Aug. 15, 2023.

Construction starts next month.