Story ID: 
Pennsylvania Airport Debuts New Hangar
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Lehigh Valley International Airport has wrapped up a two-year construction project, adding an additional 54,000 sq ft of aircraft storage space.
Word Count: 173
Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) introduced its newest hangar yesterday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by state and local officials. The $16.3 million, 54,000-sq-ft Hangar 11 that can accommodate aircraft up to a Gulfstream G650 brings the airport-operated FBO to more than 250,000 sq ft of hangar space. This project marks the first hangar addition at the Eastern Pennsylvania airport, which is currently home to 137 aircraft, since 2006.

“If you search the Northeast corridor, hangar space is extremely limited, “ said Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, which received an $8.8 million grant from the PennDoT Bureau of Aviation to complete the new structure. “We are confident that Hangar 11 delivers a competitive advantage in attracting new tenants that strengthens economic growth within the Lehigh Valley.”

“During very challenging times in aviation across the country and especially in Pennsylvania due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the unveiling of Hangar 11 is an encouraging story that still shows the continued strong economic growth at [ABE],” added Anthony McCloskey, director of the state’s DoT.