The Mobile Airport Authority plans to build a cargo warehouse and hangar facility, including cold storage, at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley.
Funding comes from $5.1 million in federal CARES act money with $747,000 in local matching funds.
Airport officials anticipate that the cold-storage facility could be used for COVID-19 related materials and for quick food distribution.
“This EDA grant is excellent news for not only the Mobile Airport Authority but also the region,” said Chris Curry, president of the authority. “This investment in our infrastructure will improve our resiliency, attract additional business, and strengthen our capacity for long-term growth.”
Authority Board Chair Elliot Maisel added that the facility provided needed community resources and the prospect of about 50 new jobs. “This facility at the Brookley Aeroplex will bolster job creation and diversify the regional economy.”
The cargo facility will be part of the Brookley Aeroplex, an industrial complex close to downtown and adjacent to the Port of Mobile, bringing maritime, rail, trucking and aviation into useful proximity. The Aeroplex is home to plane maker Airbus, maintenance facility ST Aerospace and engine specialist Continental Motors.
The Airport Authority is in the process of moving commercial passenger traffic from the Mobile Regional Airport in west Mobile to the Downtown Airport at Brookley.
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