Talks are currently underway to bring public-private partnership to modernize the Lakewood Airport, along with the adjacent properties.
The neighboring properties, formerly owned by the Bathgate Law Firm, was purchased by local resident Simcha Ingber, who will be developing the property, placing multiple office buildings on the properties.
This week, the project received initial approvals from the Zoning board.
TLS spoke with Lakewood’s Director of Development Steven Reinman, who described the proposed ideas for the airport and the process where it stands.
“LIC and Ingber have been engaged in discussions and working plans for a Public Private Partnership (P3) which is permitted under NJ state law,” said Reinman. “The intent is for Ingber to develop a new permanent terminal for Lakewood Airport that will replace the temporary terminal we have been using. In addition, one or more eateries may be developed as part of the new facility and a conference center that can accommodate larger meetings and events for corporate users.”
The project will be built and financed by Ingber and the P3 agreement will put in place the parameters of the relationship between LIC and Ingber as to revenue sharing etc.
“In addition, LIC will lease a section of the airport property to provide overflow parking capacity for the office towers to be built by Ingber, at going rates and with an agreement for mutual use of each others parking when events require,” said Reinman.
The application to Zoning was only for height variance for the office towers, Reinman says, which are requesting to go above the standard 65 feet to 97 feet.
“This is still early in the process as we still have to get through regulatory (CAFRA), county road coordination for both Cedarbridge and Airport (both county roads in that area) and of course the finalization of a deal for the P3, public hearing and Mayor’s review.”
This sounds like a marketing blurb for the development and it doesn’t really help the Lakewood Airport become a viable commercial Airport.
For starters, the runway is under 3,000 feet. where a typical private jet requires 5,000 feet of runaway. Additionally, if there would ever be an option for domestic travel, the requirement would jump to 6-8,000 feet. In order to achieve a 5,000 ft runway, the airport would need to extend the pavement until Oak street. Assuming that is feasible, there would be environmental constraints due to the Cedarbridge Branch. Now, if there would be a dream to turn this airport into one that could handle commercial domestic travel. The only possible way to achieve an 8,000 ft runway, would be to create a new one from the corner of Airport rd and Cedarbridge (eliminating this entire project) and ending at the corner of New Hampshire and Oak. Keep dreaming that this will ever happen. Lakewood doesn’t have a space that is a minimum of 1.5 miles that would meet these parameters.
If Lakewood would ever have a chance of having a local airport for commercial domestic travel. We would need to look out of our borders for this. Maybe Lakehurst air base? It’s a long shot.
The airport is not large and I don’t see where there is room for parking there. And frankly the current terminal is good enough for what it is needed for at this point and I dont think and eatery there will be very successful either. Also having a tall building there can potentially cause problems for landing planes and wind currents which are already notoriously bad there. And I just flew there today so I’m not talking from no knowledge.
Typical Lakewood Township Municipal stuff.
These guys are in their own world. (And we, the people finance it.
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I wish Elal would build a terminal there and buy Blinds to go
How cool would that be? (Along with duty free shops )