Large hangars, office space to be built on vacant land at Mesa airport

PHOENIX – Large aircraft hangars and office and manufacturing space will be built on 23 acres of vacant airport land owned by the city of Mesa, it was announced Tuesday.

Davcon Aviation and Mesa Hangar will partner to develop the property on the northwest portion of Falcon Field.

“It’s huge,” Steve Wright, city of Mesa spokesman, told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “For some of these hangars, they range from 5,000 to 60,000 square feet, and it’s a great opportunity for the business district out in the Falcon Field area to grow and expand.”

Falcon Field opened in 1941 as a pilot training base and is now used by companies that provide services such as chartered aircraft, recreational flights and flight instruction. It is bordered by McDowell Road to the north, McKellips Road to the south, Greenfield Road to the west and Higley Road to the east.

Wright anticipates aviation and aerospace companies to be interested in the new facilities as well as any businesses with the desire to be located near an airport.

“This is going to be prime real estate for them,” he said.

The property will be leased for 40 years.

“That land is going to be a significant income stream for the city as opposed to just sitting raw,” Wright said.

According to a press release from the city, the new hangars will have high ceilings and wide doors to fit corporate jets and helicopters.

The plans also include an aircraft staging ramp and vehicle parking areas.

The Falcon Field district is designated as an Opportunity Zone by the U.S. Department of Treasury, meaning the developers and companies that move in will receive tax incentives.

“This particular deal is important for the city because these businesses that are coming in, in particular these two business that are building out these areas, are taking advantage of the fact that it’s an Opportunity Zone, which is exactly why those zones are created, to stimulate business,” Wright said.

Wright said more than 50 businesses have approached the city looking to expand in or relocate to the airport area.

“I don’t have the names of anyone, but we know that there’s a lot of interest in them, and these businesses wouldn’t be coming in and investing here if they didn’t already have people lined up,” he said.

The project will be built in phases based on demand and business needs and is expected to be completed by November 2021.

“We will get this project off the ground as quickly as possible with spec buildings and will continuously discuss space needs with potential tenants to further refine additional buildings as they go up,” David Wakefield, managing partner at Davcon Aviation, said in the release.

For details about the project or leasing information, contact Larry Brow of Leading Edge Real Estate at 480-535-4800 or info@edgeaz.com.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Amy Phol contributed to this report.

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