New terminal proposed for Sikeston municipal airport

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston could have an opportunity to improve its municipal airport.

The city of Sikeston has never before been able to use its allocation of federal funding channeled through the Missouri Department of Transportation's Aviation Division for a new airport terminal, according to Councilman Steven Burch, chairman of the Airport Terminal Building Project Advisory Committee.

Until now, that funding was used for runway and lighting improvements, which must be in place before other projects become eligible.

"We've now met all those criteria so those funds can be used on other things -- like a terminal building," Burch said.

"We have saved up those allocations for four years," said Jay Lancaster, Sikeston public works director.

As the city's allocation is about $150,000 year, there is roughly $600,000 in this federal funding available for the project, he said.

Most of the project's cost will be covered with the federal funding, although there will be some local contribution required from the city.

"We are in the early stages of trying to match our needs with the thoughts of the architectural firm, so ultimately we stay within our budgetary limitation," Burch said.

"Our airport, for many companies considering locating here, will be the first thing they see. For economic development's sake, we want to make a good first impression," Lancaster said. "Our current terminal building is very old and, because of its condition, it's not used very much. We think a new terminal will greatly increase the use of it and the traffic at the airport will also increase."

Before it was the Sikeston Memorial Municipal Airport, the airfield was used by the Army Air Corps Training Program as the Harvey Park Air Base.

The flight training school for pilots and plane mechanics entering the U.S. Army Air Corps to prepare for World War II was activated in the early 1940s.

The terminal building goes back nearly as far.

"I'm pretty sure it was built back in the '60s," said Chris Wren, chief lineman for Sikeston Aviation, which manages the airport for the city.

Today, the airport used in a different type of struggle: the fight to lure businesses.

The advisory committee formed specifically for the project was appointed by the city council during its May 5 meeting.

"The entire city council and the city's Department of Economic Development see the value in making a great first impression on those businesses and industries at the terminal building," Burch said.

Also on the committee are: Alan Keenan, Jeff Hux, Rick Adams, Jerry Aufdenberg and Doug Glenn.

"As a group, they are a combination of businessmen and pilots who either use the airport in their business or recreationally and understand the value of a good facility as it relates to economic development for our community," Burch said.

The committee held its first meeting Thursday.

Lancaster said the city has contracted Waters Engineering in Sikeston for engineering services and Stephanie Ireland of Ireland Architects of Springfield, Missouri, to design a single-story facility.

"We're trying to answer the big questions," he said, such as, "How big does it need to be? How many people do we want to accommodate? How many employees are going to work there? What kind of spaces do we want to incorporate?"

An initial idea for the structure is a brick building similar to the Board of Municipal Utilities and Department of Public Safety buildings downtown, according to Lancaster.

"We would like to build a terminal building that is about 2,000 square feet," he said. "We would also like to include a covered drive-through for dropping off and picking up people."

Ideas so far for interior spaces include a pilots' lounge, flight planning area, an office and customer service counter for a manager, a waiting area for passengers, as well as "some sort of kitchen-vending area," Lancaster said.

Also, they would like to see the facility include a conference room to provide a place to conduct training or flight school instruction.

Burch said the committee is now waiting to see what the architect brings back after which they can begin to work on the details.

"We have a bit of a time crunch," he said. "It's our goal to have contracts let by the middle of August to maximize the federal funding in place."

Burch explained that the oldest federal allocations will eventually expire.

"They allocate a certain amount of money annually but only let you hang on to it for so many years," he said.

Pertinent address:

Sikeston, Mo.