Group Expresses Interest in Keeping Airport at Air Base

The clock is ticking for parties interested in claiming a piece of the 892-acre surplus ground at to file an application. 

With only two-and-a-half weeks to go until the March 22 submission deadline, Horsham Land Reuse Authority Deputy Director Tom Ames said on Friday that the HLRA has yet to receive a single notice of interest.

Instead, Ames said the HLRA, the group charged with leading the site’s redevelopment following the military’s departure in September, has gotten requests from “less than five” entities interested in scheduling a tour of the 1,100-acre air base. Ames would not disclose the names or specific interests of the parties.

To date, the has publicly discussed the possibility of expanding its existing museum onto 40 acres of the air base. Earlier this week, Ames said the authority had an “introductory meeting” with a representative from the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania as well.

“They are still looking at a possibility of submitting a notice of interest,” Ames said. “They were just looking for some guidance.”

Patch was unsuccessful in reaching Aviation Council of Pennsylvania Executive Director Robert Rockmaker for comment Friday.

Ames said the Aviation Council is looking at the possibility of continuing operations, particularly use of the runway.

“How that would look? We didn’t hear any specifics,” Ames said. “We didn’t think yesterday’s meeting was noteworthy at all. We didn’t hear anything other than ‘airports are good.’ “

During the , on Feb. 7, the majority of the more than 200 residents in attendance raised their hands when asked if they opposed the site being used as an airport following the Navy’s last flights, tentatively planned for the end of March.

In addition to the two aircraft-related entities considering use of the air base, is expected to move forward next week with a notice of interest. Township Manager Bill Walker said Friday that the governing body would discuss land use options during Wednesday’s council meeting and would provide him with direction to make the necessary application. Walker said he could not disclose the council’s plans or which type of uses were being considered.

For redevelopment consideration, organizations must propose “public benefit conveyances,” such as needs met by education centers, hospitals or clinics, homeless facilities, public airports, parks or recreation areas or correctional facilities, HLRA Executive Director Mike McGee said previously. 

In December, the HLRA led a bus tour of the military base to roughly 35 interested parties and opened the doors for submission of notice of interests. Officials have until year’s end to craft a redevelopment plan for submission to the Department of Defense. That process cannot get underway until notices of interests are received, discussed during public meetings and weighed against what the HLRA and the group’s , determine to be the best site uses.

Meanwhile, in the 18 days left to file a notice of interest, RKG Associates is compiling survey results on the preferred uses for the site from the more than 200 people who attended the authority’s Feb. 7 meeting, and is analyzing the site’s attributes and impediments to determine a best use.

Ames said RKG has not yet summarized the survey results and said he did not know if it would be tabulated in time for the HLRA’s next meeting on March 16 at 3 p.m. It’s too early to determine how the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania – or any other entity for that matter – would fit into the grand scheme, Ames said.

“Our consultant is still trying to determine what’s there and the condition of the buildings and so on,” Ames said. “There’s a lot of issues that still have to be worked through.”