By Mark Carlisle | YourValley
Phoenix last week advanced plans to redevelop 28 acres at the northwest of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport into air cargo facilities.
The Business and Development Subcommittee of the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board approved aviation staff’s recommendation to repurpose the land for cargo during its Thursday, Sept. 1, meeting. That recommendation will be forwarded to the full Aviation Board.
Last fall, when aviation staff issued a request for information about a 40-acre parcel at the northwest portion of the airport, three of six responding businesses included cargo in their plans.
There is a growing need for cargo capacity at the airport. In the most recent fiscal year, which ended on June 30, Sky Harbor shipped just under half a million metric tons of cargo. Aviation Director Chad Makovsky said two cargo tenants on the south of the airport could easily double their footprint at Sky Harbor if the airport could accommodate that growth.
