Construction starts on Elizabeth City aviation park

ELIZABETH CITY

Construction began this week on an aviation park near the Coast Guard base that could bring as many as 500 jobs over five years.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the 60-acre first phase of the park on Consolidated Road is set for Oct. 9, said Wayne Harris, director of the Albemarle Economic Development Commission. Construction is expected to be finished in May.

Announced early last year, the aviation park could grow to about 180 acres.

The first phase includes facilities for Elizabeth City State University's school of aviation and College of The Albemarle's airframe certification program.

DRS Technologies, which employs 200 people at a hangar on Consolidated Road, plans to expand to the aviation park and could hire up to 500 people over the next five years, Harris said.

A $3.5 million grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce initiated the $13 million project in early 2007. Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County contributed $200,000 each, said Elizabeth City manager Rich Olson. State grants funded the rest.

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com