The Gary/Chicago International Airport is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for its new $12 million hangar at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The airport, at 6001 Airport Road on the city’s west side, is the owner of the 47,000-square-foot hangar, and the airport authority is overseeing its construction.
The hangar’s tenant, Wingtip Aviation, of Valparaiso, is consolidating its aviation operations to Gary and will operate under a new, 20-year lease approved June 12 by the airport authority. Officials declined to release details of the contract.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation provided $1.3 million in funding for the hangar through its Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) grant program.
The hangar will take about 12 months to complete and is anticipated to be operational by May 2025.
The hangar will be constructed by local workers throughout Northwest Indiana, according to a release.
Last year, the authority approved a $164,847 contract with C. Lee Construction, of Gary, for the demolition of a hangar previously used by NiSource where the new hangar will be built on the airport’s east end.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton and U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, are expected to make remarks at the event.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
