BRUNSWICK
The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority is receiving a $1.5 million grant to make improvements and boost efficiency for heating hangars 4 and 5 at Brunswick Executive Airport.
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, announced the grant, in excess of $1,558,098 for the installation of energy efficient radiant heating through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Military Airport Program.
The airport has been receiving MAP grants from the FAA as part of a federal program to civilianize former military airfields. Other MAP funded projects included removal of runway center lighting and arresting gear.
The Navy-built hangars had previously used gas-powered blowers. MRRA Executive Director Steve Levesque said the new system will be exponentially more efficient.
The radiant system will be installed overhead and instead of bowing hot air into the massive space, they will heat surfaces in the hangar — bringing more heat to where the aircraft and personnel are down below.
The newest hangar, hangar 6, was built with radiant heat installed and has been able to heat the massive space at a fraction of the cost of the old blowers.
“The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority has made significant progress redeveloping the former Brunswick Naval Air Station to generate new economic activity and create high-quality jobs,” King and Collins said in a joint statement.
“Brunswick Executive Airport is a tremendous asset for the businesses located in Brunswick Landing as well as the surrounding communities. This investment will help increase the airport’s energy efficiency, benefiting the diverse users of the facility.”
Expansion work continues
Work also continues at hangar 4 with a 16,000-square-foot divided manufacturing space expansion. Spaces will be divided for small manufacturing companies with a monorail crane running through it. The expansion project began in July.
The building located at 74 Orion St. was previously used for maintenance and repair of Navy aircraft. MRRA’s website notes that there are a number of Navy historical artifacts in the space such as signage, murals and the old Geedunk.
Construction crews reportedly will do the best they can to preserve these items with the Brunswick Naval Museum showing interest in curating some of it if possible.
Set to be completed in the fall, there will be spaces for up to seven manufacturing businesses with individual spaces ranging from 1,500 square feet to 2,800 square feet.
dmcintire@timesrecord.com
The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less