City OKS final costs for National Advanced Air Mobility Center
$9.1M aviation innovation project got most of its funding from state, national partners.
Springfield city commissioners authorized a final change order for $390,906 for adjustments in plans over the course of construction of the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-beckley Municipal Airport, bringing the final price tag to $9,102,818.
But only a tiny portion of that cost is on the city, officials noted.
Assistant City Manager and Director of Economic Development Tom Franzen explained the final change order approved is the last anticipated cost for the project, which houses a dozen companies in 30,000 feet of office space to support development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (EVTOL) vehicles, sometimes called flying cars, and additional advanced air mobility and aviation innovations.
“We saved all the minor costs up for this final change order related to some of the improvements made to interior walls, upgrades to tenant spaces to accommodate their requirements. Nothing major, just minor changes to keep to the timeline,” Franzen said.
The state-of-the-art facility puts Springfield front and center in aviation innovation and is funded through partnerships with the Department of Defense, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Dayton Development Coalition and Jobsohio.
Assistant Mayor David Estrop asked
Franzen to detail the allocation of costs associated with the project, pointing out that much of the funding came from other than local sources.
“We were very fortunate to have support for the overall project, including a $6 million grant from the Department of Defense related to support for AFRL. $2.9. million came from the State of Ohio … and the city of Springfield funded the remainder, about $500,000,” Franzen said. “I think we did a very effective job at leveraging other people’s money. But we are serving a vital purpose there, and I think that’s what the Air
Force recognized in providing that grant.”
“What a tremendous step forward for our airport,” Estrop said in congratulating those who worked on the project.
NAAMCE houses administrative offices, laboratories, meeting and collaboration spaces in addition to 25,000 square feet of aircraft hanger space. Along with private industry exploring advanced aviation vehicle development, the facility supports missions of Wright-patterson Air Force Base and the 178th Air National Guard Wing.
A study conducted by Fly Ohio in advance of the opening of NAAMCE projected autonomous aircraft, a major focus of the Center, could generate $13 billion in economic activity and up to 15,000 new jobs between now and 2045. Such growth would translate to an additional $2.5 billion in local, state and federal tax revenues for Ohio over the same period.
In keeping with that anticipated growth, the Global Impact STEM Academy in Springfield is constructing a new facility on Clark State College’s campus for high school students who might prepare for some of those careers. The new facility is expected to open in July of 2025 and will include career pathways in aerospace and aviation technologies.
Area high school students from Greenon recently were also introduced to some of those job possibilities by several of the companies involved in NAAMCE, including Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, Lone Mountain Aircraft, Spectra Jet, Inc and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and City Manager Bryan Heck both recognized the transformation of the city’s airport in a State of the City presentation Monday evening.
The state-of-the-art facility puts Springfield front and center in aviation innovation and is funded through partnerships with the Department of Defense, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Dayton Development Coalition and Jobsohio.