The Clinton County Port Authority is hoping to close on another deal by the end of September at the Wilmington Air Park. The 1,900-acre property - 2.8 million-square feet of it under roof - has been busy.
Busiest In Ohio
The U.S. Department of Transportation named the Air Park Ohio’s highest volume cargo airport. It’s No. 30 in the nation.
COVID has helped fuel the growth says Port Authority Executive Director Dan Evers. “Through all stages of the pandemic it begins to make sense that we would see an uptick in activity. And I think that uptick was driven by goods and products.”
Only 150,000-square feet remains open for lease, according to Evers. “And at the moment, we have multiple prospects looking at that facility and the possibility of leasing space, either in its entirety or as a multi-tenant facility."
Thirty percent of the space is occupied by the largest tenant, Amazon, which runs a sorting facility there.
The newest prospect is an aviation repair company for large frame aircraft. Evers says it won’t compete with current tenant Airborne but will be focused on different areas of the aircraft.
Evers says the Port is entertaining both build-to-suit and speculative industrial or distribution space that developers might build either at the Air Park or outside the fence.
Why Is The Air Park So Popular?
Evers says it’s 10 minutes from I-71, less than an hour from downtown Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus, and can provide a workforce that extends south and east.
All this business could result in new jobs at the Air Park and in the community, says Evers.
The community welcomes back all the jobs it can get after DHL shut down its operation at the Air Park more than 10 years ago, putting thousands of people out of work.
