DETROIT – Detroit City Airport has its first approved Airport Layout Plan in 30 years, unlocking the potential for more than $100 million in federal grants over the next decade.
During a news conference Thursday morning, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and city leaders outlined the plans.
The major capital investment will include new hangars, control towers, and taxiways. It will also include the return of Benjamin O. David Aerospace Technical High School by 2025.
“We are going to build a first-class corporate and general aviation airport here at the Colman A. Young International Airport,” said Duggan.
Duggan said the city finally let go of its hope of bringing commercial air traffic to the airport.
“Our first meeting with the FAA went extremely well because when we laid out the plan, they said, ‘Thank God, you’re no longer pushing the unrealistic plan for a commercial aircraft,’” Duggan said. “And I know people are attached to the idea of having commercial service at this airport, but the fact is you need a 10,000 thousand-foot runway for passenger planes. We have about 5,400 feet, and it was in no way viable.”
Increasing the safety means acquiring neighboring property to the east of the airport, including 17 occupied homes and 53 vacant properties.
“They’re going to have the ability to have a check and be able to relocate to a neighborhood of their choice, and again we’re increasing the safety of the landing zones by clearing out that space,” Duggan said.
As it stands, Duggan said there are private corporate planes that won’t land at City Airport because they don’t think it’s safe enough. The new plan will change that.
The approved airport layout plan also includes decommissioning Crosswinds Runway, freeing up to 80 acres for airport-related development.