Concord moves ahead on new airport terminal
September 13, 2015
CONCORD, N.C. -- The Concord City Council accepted an FAA grant for a new airport terminal and approved additional money for the Albemarle Waterline at its Thursday meeting.
The city learned Tuesday it will receive a $6.4 million FAA grant for a new commercial terminal at the Concord Regional Airport. The council voted Thursday to accept the grant and proceed with a $6.6 million contract with low-bidder KMD Construction for the project.
The council voted to negotiate and execute a $660,370 contract with Charlotte-based Talbert, Bright & Ellington for construction administration and resident engineering.
Mayor Pro Tem John Sweat, who presided over the meeting, thanked 12th U.S. District Congresswoman Alma Adams for helping the city pursue and get the FAA grant that will help it build the airport terminal.
“With her assistance we’ve been able to push through grants and get the recognition in Washington for the things we need,” he said.
“This vital infrastructure upgrade will allow the Concord Regional Airport to better accommodate the growing needs of passengers who travel throughout the airport each day,” Adams said in a statement.
“Today’s announcement is welcome news for all of us,” 8th U.S. District Rep. Richard Hudson, who also pushed for the grant, said in a statement.
The council also approved a transfer of $250,000 from the fund balance to cover extra rock excavation expenses related to the Albemarle Waterline project.
DeVere Construction, the company contracted to do the excavations, had to remove more than 200 percent of the estimated rock, resulting in a cost overage of $1.5 million. The $250,000 pays for Concord’s portion of the rock overage not covered by contingency funds.
Also, the council voted to set an Oct. 8 public hearing for the annexation of 136.6 acres on the west side of Derita Road.
The Silverman Group, which owns the undeveloped land, wants to have it zoned General Industrial, according to the meeting agenda. The current county zoning has several conditions that prohibit certain uses like asphalt or cement production, sawmills, slaughterhouses and salvage yards.
Silverman in its request does ask that meat packaging be a permissible use, which was prohibited by the county zoning conditions.
City staff do not object to the annexation, but the Parks Department wants to obtain an easement for the Rocky River Greenway, and the Cabarrus County Soil and Water Conservation District wants an easement or a donation of property along the western boundary.