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City to fix building after fire damage, plans for new hanger

By
Lori Sorenson

Plans are in place for a new arrival and departure building at the Luverne municipal airport after the current structure was damaged in a fire last fall.
At their Feb. 9 meeting, Luverne City Council members approved plans and specification for the project and set a bid letting date of March 11.
Structural engineers determined that the building could be rebuilt using most of the steel girders of the present structure, which includes the fixed base operation shop.
The majority of the cost of the new building will be covered by the city’s insurance company, which concurs with the new plans and specifications.
Because of the building’s age (nearly 30 years) much of the electrical wiring and utilities need to be updated to current code.
Also, a floor drain is required as well as a water and oil separator.
The council approved some upgrades not required by code in order to update the building’s efficiency and aesthetics.
For example, McClure said higher-efficiency windows will replace older, drafty ones, and a larger door on the east side will allow the FBO to work on helicopters.
“That will be at the city’s expense, but these are things we’ve always wanted but never had opportunity to do,” said City Administrator John Call.
“We’re going to get a nicer building in the end.”
Councilman Kevin Aaker, who serves on the city’s Airport Commission, said the building will have a new appearance but the footprint is the same.
“It’s going to be a nice, clean, new place for visitors,” Aaker said. “It was just a rough way to get there.”
Work on the fire-damaged structure will start around April 1, and construction is estimated to last about five months.
 
New hangar construction
In other airport news, the city has approved construction of a new four-unit hangar to meet demand for rental space.
The airport has had 100-percent hangar occupancy for many years.
According to airport personnel, there’s a waiting list and frequent active inquiries for hangar space.
The project is estimated to cost roughly $649,000, and engineering is estimated at $57,800.
Federal and state grants will also pay 95 percent of the costs.

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