By: Quezia Salgado
The Boca Raton Airport Authority awarded at their last meeting a contract to build a 10,500-square-foot administration building with a garage; construction is expected to start in June.
Airport Authority’s Executive Director Clara Bennett explains that the building will house airport administration operations and maintenance — functions that are currently housed in separate areas of the airport. The building will also accommodate meetings with Airport tenants, area pilots, and the community on airport-related issues. These types of meetings are currently held off-site due to space constraints.
A recent article by the Sun Sentinel reported the City Council’s prioritizing that a customs facility also be built at the airport in the near future, so that the airport is able to land international flights. In response to the topic, Bennett responded that while the Airport Authority appreciates the level of community and City support for a Customs facility at Boca Raton Airport, “the process to fund, site, and construct a Customs facility is complicated and requires thoughtful consideration of all the benefits and costs. The Authority is currently evaluating possible building sites and associated construction costs.” The two preferred locations for a Customs facility are on the Atlantic Aviation property. The Airport’s Executive Director has had preliminary discussions with Atlantic Aviation about a possible lease amendment to allow for construction of the facility on their leasehold.