Airport terminal renovation project continues

The terminal building at South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field has been spiffed up with a fresh coat of paint that was applied as part of a building envelope stabilization project to help prevent outside air from infiltrating the building.

The work is part of several projects the El Dorado Airport Commission is juggling in an ongoing effort to to renovate the post-World-Ward-II-era terminal and its amenities.

In June of 2022, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program awarded a $84,320 grant for the building envelope stabilization, which entails sealing off the terminal building from outside, unconditioned air that has permeated the facility for years, particularly around the windows.

The issue has affected indoor air quality and energy efficiency for the terminal and ushered in moisture that has led to damage inside the building at points throughout the years.

Two months after the EAC announced the grant aware, the El Dorado Works Board and El Dorado City Council signed off on a funding request of $42,610 from the El Dorado Works tax to serve as a match for the grant.

However, on May 9, SARA manager Johnathan Estes, having been given the go-ahead by the EAC, requested additional funds, telling EWB members that a quote from contractor Ideal Construction Company, which has offices in Crossett, Texarkana and Little Rock, had exceeded cost projections.

The EWB administers the El Dorado Works tax -- which is earmarked for economic development, municipal infrastructure and quality-of-life projects -- by vetting funding proposals and forwarding recommendations to the city council for consideration.

Estes explained that the work had initially been valued at $126,000 but the EAC did not receive any proposals when the project was advertised for bids.

Blake Dunn, of CADM Architecture, Inc., then reached out to contractors, showed them the design specifications for the job and got a bite from Ideal, who presented a quote of $159,070, said Estes.

With architectural fees of $13,700, the total estimated cost of the project came in at $173,400, leaving a funding shortfall of $46,920.

Also included in the funding proposal was $16,000 to replace corrugated asbestos panels on the third floor of the four-story terminal building.

"When they did the roof overlay (in 2017 and 2018), they went under that corrugated asbestos paneling about three to four inches," Estes explained in May.

"Since the panel waves outwards, whenever the wind blows across that slick (roof) mat, it's getting under the corrugated paneling, under that TPO roof overlay, causing ceiling damage on the floors below," he continued.

Estes also told EWB members that any remaining funds would be used to repaint the airport terminal building.

The EWB approved the funding request, which totaled $62,920 and was pulled from $1 million that the EWB and city council set aside in 2019 for the overall terminal renovation project.

The paint job was completed late last month, with crews restoring the terminal to its original concrete-gray aesthetic and giving the building a fresh, clean look.

Estes said work on for the building envelope stabilization "is all but completed."

"They're replacing the window sills, painting the exterior of the terminal and adding additional hardware to the doors to help keep unconditioned air from coming inside," Estes said.

"They're also foaming, "siliconing" around the holes where the piping enters the building," he added.

Runway rehabilitation

A series of runway improvement projects are also on the EAC's to-do list.

Phase one of improvements that are planned for runway 4-22 entails a conversion to an LED lighting system for the runway and the installation of new wiring.

The work will cost $839,810 and will be done in conjunction with phase two -- repaving the runway.

The runway rehabilitation project is expected to begin in late March or early April at a cost of $4.8 million.

Airport commissioners had hoped to complete the repaving project this year, but because of backups in construction supplies and materials, the sole bidder, Redstone Construction Group of Little Rock, will not be able to get to the job until next year.

The work will be broken up into two components

Schedule 1 calls for milling the runway, repairing cracks, installing reinforcement fabric, asphalting and applying markings and grooving.

Shoulder stabilization, repairing cracks and seal-coating 25 feet of the shoulders on each side of the runway make up the work for Schedule 2.

The overlay will cover 6,600-foot length of Runway 4-22 and 100 feet of the 150-foot width.

Estes previously explained that the Federal Aviation Administration 100-foot width fits federal runway standards and needs.

Therefore, 100 feet of the runway will be marked and the FAA has agreed to fund the seal-coating of 50 feet -- 25-foot shoulders on either side, of the runway.

The seal-coat will help preserve the life of the runway and make way for a possible rehab of the entire span in the future, Estes has said.

Airport commissioners agreed to follow-up the repaving project with the lighting upgrade, noting that the new lights would have to be removed if they were installed before the runway is rehabbed.

Both projects will be covered by a mix of federal and state grants.

The airport has applied for another federal grant to help cover the cost of a purchase that was made upon a request from the FAA.

The EAC previously agreed to purchase land in order to control all applicable airspace and "navigable surfaces" near and around SARA grounds to restrict the use of adjacent property for activity that is not compatible with airport operations.

Estes explained that the airport must comply with federal Runway Safety Airspace, Runway Object Free Area and Runway Protection Zone standards.

He said an adjacent property owner was looking to sell land to a residential developer and a portion of the property, which is just over the fence that surrounds SARA, sits in the airport's RPZ.

The airport attempted to purchase an acre of land that was included in the applicable area but the property owner "said it was all or nothing," explained Estes.

Because of the FAA mandate, the airport paid above fair market value for the property.

If the grant is approved, the airport will be on the hook for only $3,600 of the $71,900 purchase price.

"The FAA greatly desired for us to control our RPZ area and to assist in controlling the number of residential homes that are encroaching toward the airport," Estes said.

Marketing

During an EAC meeting on Aug. 14, chairman Mickey Murfee noted that no donations have been received to support efforts to renovate the airport terminal.

A temporary fund that was set up more than 20 years ago for the improvement of the SARA terminal has a balance of $1,050.

The Fifty for the Future Airport Fund was established through the Union County Community Foundation in 2002.

Earlier this year, Murfee said the airport commission has the option of using the full amount or a portion of it to direct toward components of the terminal renovation project.

To help drum up support for the renovation project, seek donations and educate the public about SARA, the EAC is working with the Diamond Agency to develop brochures to distribute to potential donors.

In June, the El Dorado Advertising and Promotion Commission approved a funding request of $3,750 to print 2,500 brochures.

Estes said Murfee is coordinating the marketing effort with Dunn and the Diamond Agency.

Estes said he has helped to gather photos and historical information about the airport, which was designed by late architect John Abbott, founder of CADM Architecture, Inc.

Vacancy

Commissioners are also looking to fill a vacancy in their ranks.

Former Commissioner Trey Clark resigned from the airport commission earlier this month.

Airport commissioners serve five-year terms. Clark's term expires in August of 2024.

Commissioners said Aug. 14 that no applications had been submitted to fill the position.

They particularly encouraged anyone with a background in marketing, finance or banking to apply for the seat, noting that Clark is a banker.

Clark is senior vice president of commercial lending at First Financial Bank.

Anyone who is interested in serving on the EAC may request an application by calling City Clerk Heather McVay's office at 870-881-4877.

The commission meets at noon on the second Monday of the month at SARA.

Print Headline: Airport terminal renovation project continues

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