SEBASTIAN — The Sebastian Municipal Airport will soon have a new tenant renting space in the administration building and a project to improve the runways, the Sebastian City Council recently decided.
The improvement project, a joint effort amongst the city, the Florida Department of Transportation and the FAA, is expected to cost a total of $164,400. The city will be responsible for $8,200 – or about 5 percent of the cost.
The Florida Department of Transportation will also kick in $8,200, leaving the FAA to pick up the remaining $148,000.
Airport Director Joe Griffin told the council last week that he expects to have the agreement from the FAA back to them in the next couple months.
Work to repave the “apron” in front of Hangars A and B near the administration building, could be underway this fall, Griffin said.
Runways 4 and 22 will get new GPS approaches, necessitating new markings and painting, Griffin said.
The changes come several months after the FDOT’s annual inspection of the airport turned up a few deficiencies. These improvements will address those deficiencies, according to Griffin.
The same night Griffin approached the Sebastian City Council to approve the $8,200 expenditure on the improvements to the airport, Griffin – working as the Economic Development Director – brought forward a lease agreement for a new tenant in the administration building.
The Phoenix Group, currently headquartered in Virginia, has plans to move into the offices in the admin building and rent from month-to-month until the already-approved tenant, National Aperture, is ready to move in. National Aperture was approved a lease option in March and has plans to move into three offices sometime in the first quarter of 2013.
Griffin told the council that National Aperture has agreed to the arrangement.
The Phoenix Group’s chief operation is securing government contracts in the aviation field for its subsidiary companies. Those companies include Athena Professional Consulting Services, Junior Scientists of the Sea, and Security Solutions and Investigative Services.
As with the joint agreement for improvements at the airport, the Sebastian City Council unanimously approved the lease agreement with The Phoenix Group.
The company is expected to pay $375 per month – or $125/month per office – and a flat-rate utility fee of $50 per office – or $150 – each month, for a total rent of $525.