07/27/2010 - THE PARK JULY 2010 UPDATE -

Thanks to all who visited with us at the 2010 Annual Prop Meeting for Pilots and Tenants at the end of May. It was great to see so many familiar faces eager to see construction begin at The Park VNY. We welcomed our new General Manager to Van Nuys Airport and heard from the Chief of Staff at Councilman Grieg Smith's office. Though we have had hurdles to surpass in the process of preparing for The Park VNY, we feel that we have some great people at LAWA (Los Angeles World Airports) and the motivation of our General Manager at VNY that will help us in the final steps to push The Park VNY along.

In the next few weeks we will be updating our website even more and will be adding a classifieds section where you can buy, sell and/or trade aviation related items such as: Aircraft, tugs, parts, covers, radios, etc..

5/18/10 - 2010 VNY ANNUAL MEETING FOR PILOTS AND TENANTS-

The VNY Annual Meeting for Pilots and Tenants is Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 5:30pm. The meeting will be held at the VNY "Crash" Fire Station 114 (16617 Arminta St./ off of Stagg St. East of Balboa).

Steve Argubright will provide an update on the progress of the new VNY Prop Park. Meet the new General Manager of the Van Nuys Airport, Jess Romo, along with Mitch Englander, Chief of Staff to Councilman Grieg Smith. Christina Mathews will be there to answer questions about the new hangars at the Prop Park and assist anyone in signing up for a hangar.

There is a small fee of $20 at the door. This includes your meal for the evening, a program & VNY Prop Membership.

1/4/10 - THE PARK JANUARY 2010 UPDATE -

We hope everyone had a splendid holiday season. Just a few updates on how things are going at The Park VNY.
--->Buildings are Leasing out. We have waiting lists for Leased out buildings, so be sure to get your name in to the waiting list if you missed the building you wanted.
--->Relocation tenants who have not completed their paperwork must contact us ASAP. If we do not have your information, we do not know that you want to move. Please see the VNY Relocation Tenants page for information and forms.
--->If your address or contact information changes at any point please email us the new contact information so that we will be able to contact you.
--->As we near the beginning of construction area #1(Building N & Relocating hangars) We will begin to draft up leases for those tenants. Once we start construction on Bldg. N all of those tenants will be contacted in the order they reserved a hangar to decide which unit in that building they would like. If you have any questions about this process please contact Christina@theparkvny.com
--->Please note that there are 10 different construction areas, the same process will be used throughout the construction process for each area.

12/12/09- HAPPY HOLIDAYS -

Happy Holidays to everyone. We wish you all a bright New Year!!!

10/21/09- THE PARK OCTOBER UPDATE -

Thanks to all who have emailed or called about the progress at The Park VNY. We are continually working on the preparation of The Park VNY. We are now up to 6 Leased out buildings, 4 Buildings with only 1 unit left and 30% of all the tie-downs are pre-leased. There are very few small business/office hangars left (West ends of G, H, I and J). Nearly all Relocating Tenants have contacted us and 95% of them have turned in complete information. We will be generating a monthly e-newsletter once we break ground at The Park VNY to keep all tenants notified of building progress,

so be sure to get your request to be added to our e-newsletter to Christina@theparkvny.com

RUMOR ALERTS: Please keep in mind that www.TheParkVNY.com is your official source for all things Park VNY. There are many rumors, some very creative, others just plain strange that are going on about the progress of The Park VNY. If you don't read about it here at The Park VNY News Page, its most likely not true. For any questions or concerns please contact christina@theparkvny.com for all answers about The Park VNY.

09/23/09- THE PARK SEPTEMBER UPDATE -

We are approching the end of September and are continuing to prepare for The Park at VNY. Thanks to all Relocating tenants who have contacted us. Those who haven't still need to report to us if they will be moving, or sending their hangars to the scrap yard. For those of you who are looking to buy relocating hangars and bring them to the Park, please contact us prior to any purchases because you will most likely have to move your new purchase off of VNY if you do. Those of you who need to sell their relocating hangars, please also contact us.

Check out the new VNY Relocation Tenants page which the link can be found in the upper right corner of any Park VNY page. This will be the new headquarters for all things relating to Relocating tenants such as: Hangar Relocators, Repair links, Parts Links, Relocation Forms, Qualification requirements, etc. Please check back often because that page will be continually ugraded.

RUMOR ALERTS: Please keep in mind that www.TheParkVNY.com is your official source for all things Park VNY. There are many rumors, some very creative, others just plain strange that are going on about the progress of The Park VNY. If you don't read about it here at The Park VNY News Page, its most likely not true. For any questions or concerns please contact christina@theparkvny.com for all answers about The Park VNY.

08/06/09- THE PARK AUGUST UPDATE -

As we move into August, we are getting ready to start working on the site to prepare for construction area #1. If you or someone you know owns their own hangar and qualifies to be relocated, but have not yet contacted us please do. Our layout for relocating hangars will be finished in September 2009 and will include only the hangars that qualify and have contacted us. Our goal is to accomodate all relocating tenants as best as we can. Concrete is available for under relocating hangars at owners expense. For the actual move, there have been 2 companies pre-approved to relocate hangars to the park. For more information and help finding someone to relocate your hangar, please contact us. Continue to check back with us frequently, To join the monthly newsletter (email only) which will include any updates on progress, site, relocating and hangar openings please email INFO@THEPARKVNY.COM with your first/last name, address, phone number, email address to recieve newsletter and hangar (i.e. bldg N, P, Relocating, etc.)

07/12/09- THE PARK JULY UPDATE -

As we near the end of June, we are getting closer to our start date for the Park. Our estimated beginning date will be sometime in the middle of August. Relocating Hangars will begin approx. November to December 2009, but owners will need to be ready as early as October. If you have not yet contacted us to register for relocation please do so immediately. If you have already recieved your hangar relocation confirmation please be sure that your hangar is structurally sound and able to be moved. We will be keeping in contact and posting more updates as we get closer to those dates. The Fuel farm will be built and operational between Construction Area #1 & Construction Area #2. Please contact info@theparkvny.com to get information on our hangar relocators for this move or for hangar structure repair.

6/15/09- 2009 VNY PROP MEETING-

Thanks to all who attended the 2009 Propeller Association annual meeting on June 3rd. If you have any unanswered questions please feel free to contact info@theparkvny.com to get your questions answered.

6/1/09- 2009 VNY PROPELLER ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING-

Pacific Aviation Development, LLC. will be attending and speaking about the Park at the 2009 VNY Prop. Association Annual Meeting on June 3rd at 5: 30pm. The meeting will be held at the new VNY Fire Station 114 (16617 Arminta St.) Please be sure to contact the VNY Propeller Association to verify availabilty. There is a $20 at the door fee to cover the cost of Dinner, Program and Prop Membership.

We will be accepting reservations and taking deposits for Hangars and Relocation at the VNY Propeller Association Meeting. If you have any questions please contact christina@theparkvny.com.

5/14/09- TWO MORE BUILDINGS SOLD OUT-

Building N & I w/office join the list of sold out buildings. There are now less than 20 units (42' x 35' w/out office) available. Please contact us before you send your reservation form to verify availability as units are leasing up fast.

4/21/09- ATTENTION RELOCATING TENANTS-

This is for all tenants relocating their hangars to the Park, if you have not yet contacted us please fill out the Relocation Form and contact us. For those of you who have contacted us with your required paperwork, you should have now recieved a letter of confirmation and either a Hangar Relocation Confirmation or a Hangar Relocation Waiting List Confirmation depending on the information you gave us. If you did contact us, but have not recieved either of the above mentioned forms or letters, please contact us to resolve any missing paperwork.

04/20/09- BUILDINGS ARE BECOMING UNAVAILABLE-

Buildings M, L, & J w/ office are now at full capacity. If you have not yet reserved a hangar, now is the time. Upon opening, the park is projected to be at full capacity with a waiting list in place. There are several buildings with one or two hangars left (Buildings: N, G, F, I w/office, B w/out office, & C w/out office), if you have interest in any of these, please be sure to contact us beforehand so that we can verify it's availability as they will soon become unavailable as well.

03/13/09- A NOTE FROM STEVE ARGUBRIGHT -

-Demolition is nearing the end, surveyors are out working the property to confirm all property dimensions.

-More room for relocating owner occupied hangars has been made, and more tie-downs are available. If you haven't contacted us to reserve your spot, check the rentals page for relocation form.

-New and updated site plan is online, showing the order of building construction.

-8 new small hangars with offices have been added to the west end of Buildings G, H, I and J. Check rentals page to get your reservation in.

-Hangars are approx. 70% leased up and the park will be sold out before opening. Don't miss out on the chance to have a permanent home at Van Nuys Airport.

03/12/09- HANGARS ARE ABOUT 70% LEASED UP AND NEW OFFICE HANGARS HAVE BEEN ADDED-

If you have already reserved a hangar, this does not affect you or your already reserved hangar space. The demand for an option of a smaller hangar (42' x 35') with an attached office has been growing since opening of reservations, therefore, our site plan has been modified and smaller hangars with offices have now been added to our site plan. There are 2 new office areas on Balboa St. consisting of 4 office units each, for a total of 8.

The 2 new areas will have the same ammenities as our larger business units, but on a smaller scale. This will add 2 new parking areas for customers, Balboa St. access and an opportunity for all of our aviation needs.

Check the Rentals page to get your hangar reserved today before they are gone.

03/10/09- A NEW PHASE IN THE WORKS FOR VAN NUYS AIRPORT-

A few foundations and telephone poles are all you will find left of the old Van Nuys Air National Guard Base. A phase in History has passed, making room to bring back General Aviation to Van Nuys by storm. The site which has been closed to any visitors since the last Airshow in June of 2006 has been full of tractors and demolition crews preparing for what will be the World's busiest General Aviation Community. A part of the Airport which has not been a home for airplanes on a daily basis since its closing ceremony on April 30, 1990, almost twenty years ago, will soon be buzzing again with aviation activity.

08/25/08 - A NEW PROPELLER PARK IS COMING TO VAN NUYS AIRPORT -

The Van Nuys Propeller Aircraft Association and the Van Nuys Airport Association held their annual joint dinner meeting on May 28 at the new Air Operations, Air Support and Helicopter Maintenance Facility, Fire Station 114, in the shadow of a deteriorating relic, the old VNY control tower.

In his opening remarks, Elliot Sanders, VNY Prop Association president, stated that the tenant association, Van Nuys Airport Association, is dedicated to promoting aviation activities and helping the members of that association operate successfully at Van Nuys. The meeting's co-host, VNY Prop Association, is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of general aviation and propeller aircraft.

Sanders summarized the ongoing activities related to developing the Propeller Park at Van Nuys Airport. More than seven years ago, VNY was in the midst of a struggle to complete a master plan that would satisfy all of the various interested parties—aircraft owners, tenants and home owners. The costs associated with running a leasehold were growing, larger aircraft were posturing for more space, small prop aircraft owners were complaining about the airport possibly forcing them off the field, and a list of other issues were on the table as well. Tenants at or near the end of their leases wanted to develop, leading to conflicts. The master plan, Alternative J, was accepted and is now in place; leaseholders who have wanted to develop for years are beginning to do so.

Los Angeles World Airports began the process of receiving public input for the VNY master plan in March 1992. Los Angeles' mayor signed the master plan in February 2006. The long-term planning document, consisting of a series of goals, objectives and policies, will protect the environment and guide land use at VNY, a Southern California general aviation center, for the next 20 years.

Sanders further stated that as part of the master plan, VNYPROP and everyone involved in Alternative J fought for and received the promise of a Prop Park here at VNY. The park is envisioned as a place that would shelter, maintain and promote aircraft that provide the training for future pilots of the larger aircraft that many of the FBOs service.

"Without the little planes, we can't fly the big planes," said Sanders. "LAWA began asking about a Prop Park. We talked to them and they created a 'request for proposal,' which was 286 pages long."

Selena Birk, VNY manager, presented some of the RFP details and discussed the process. Airport management did outreach, talking to the Propeller Association, the Hangar Association and individual aircraft owners about what the airport needed to protect the interests of smaller aircraft. The consensus was that several things had to happen along the way, such as removing some of the non-aviation uses on the airport, including the automobile storage lot for dealers. Some of the key issues that were in the RFP required the winning bidder to design, finance, construct, market and operate a high quality, self-sufficient facility for the propeller aircraft community.

Birk stated that a list of features and services was specifically designed and created because of the outreach and comments the airport received. Rated highly in facilities desired were a self-service gas refueling station, an oil recycling and dumping station, on-site wash rack, tie-down area and space for related companies and services such as flight schools, avionics and maintenance services.

According to Birk, in early 2007, VNY received two proposals. Neither one met some of the administrative requirements, so the airport rejected both. After releasing the RFP again, it received four impressive proposals.

The Prop Park will be just more than 30 acres on the west side of the airport between Balboa Boulevard and Bull Creek. Only fixed wing propeller aircraft of less the 12,500-pound gross takeoff weight and former military aircraft built prior to 1950 will be allowed in the area. The term of the Prop Park lease is to be between 10 and 30 years.

Preliminary work has already begun. Moving day has arrived for 60 to 65 hangars being relocated to a temporary site along Woodley Avenue, across from the VNY Flyaway terminal and onto the old Air Guard ramp. When the Prop Park is finished, these hangars will be moved to their permanent locations in the park.

The next steps include the abatement (removing asbestos) and demolishing of the old Air Guard buildings. The negotiations on the lease will be completed and approved by the board by about the time the demolition is completed and the development construction will begin. The entire project is expected to span 30 months; demolition will take 12 months, and construction will take another 18 months.

The chosen developer for the project is Steve Argubright, owner of Argubright Construction Inc. and Argubright Steel Structures. Argubright Construction is a licensed general contractor that's been in the business of designing and building aviation hangars and projects for more than 20 years. The Argubright companies have the capability to take the project from design, manufacturing, site preparation and construction. Argubright will also provide ongoing management for the term of the lease. During the last five years, Argubright's companies have developed more than 500,000 square feet of hangar space at projects in California, Nevada, Arizona, Maryland and Colorado.

"The winning proposal is going to impact the airport in many ways for many years to come. You've heard what it should contain; now you'll hear what it will contain," stated Sanders while introducing Argubright.

"This proposal required that the first step to having affordable 'housing' on Van Nuys Airport was going to be for LAWA to have rents that were comparable with all the other airports," Argubright said. "The established rates are cheaper than Whitman Airport and about comparable with Fullerton, Brackett or Fox. Given the cost of construction at VNY, these hangars should cost no more than any other hangar in the area."

Argubright's goal is for the cost to be somewhere around 55 cents per square foot for the smaller hangars and up to 95 cents per square foot for the larger ones (examples: new 42 x 35 foot rectangular hanger, approximately $790 per month; relocated T-hangars, approximately $350 per month).

Argubright described the park design as an airport onto itself, based on neighborhood concepts. People will be able to access their hangars from their own parking lot, gated community or smaller street parking areas. This limits the number of vehicles that will be within the airport.

Argubright considers the hangars to be normal hangars, no different from other airports. The amenities for all hangars will include three-phase electrical power, compressed air, computer lines and security systems. The larger hangars (50 feet) will have individual bathrooms. About 40 hangars will have a small, attached office. Flight planning rooms and areas for FBOs and other businesses that want to relocate will also be included.

"Within the park, you'll probably see aviation differently than you've seen before," stated Argubright. "The high level of aircraft activity will make it profitable for the business to be there. It may be like the old days."

The terminal building will be approximately 30,000 square feet, and designed to be an upscale FBO, with a restaurant and rental car kiosk—everything you would see in a normal jet center will be at the Prop Park. The Park will have 50 tie-down spaces, 300 plus rectangular hangars, and provision for transient aircraft. No new T-hangars, though—only those that were temporarily relocated will be allowed. The street entrance to the Prop Park from Balboa Blvd. will be located at the same place as the original Air National Guard Base entrance.

Following the presentation was a 30-minute question and answer session. Attendees expressed concern about the eligibility for relocation of qualified owner-occupied hangers; Birk discussed a handout (RFP, Part I - General Information, Section H. Relocation of Qualified Displaced Hangars). Some areas of the airport won't be affected by the relocation: the southwest and northeast corners, the west side between the Condor Squadron and the tower.

"The airport asked VNYPROP and the Hangar Association to sit on committees," Sanders said as he wrapped up the meeting. "We did. We proposed the ingredients of the RFP that you heard today, and this is the result. We're very proud of our efforts."

"This is a good joint effort," he continued. "LAWA is literally going to be under a microscope, as are the airport and the developer for this project. The entire country's general aviation system, including AOPA and EAA, is watching. They want to see how this works. We fought hard for Alternative J. We have a master plan that allows for aircraft of a specific size for general aviation; there's no reversion to turbines. The homeowners are frightened. 'What happens if they don't get enough props?' That isn't going to be a problem. This park will probably be sold out before it gets built."

The VNY Prop Park area has a long history of use, going back to 1942 when the 4th Air Force acquired Metropolitan (Van Nuys) Airport. Following WWII, the 146th Fighter Wing flew P-51D Mustangs and later F-86 Sabre jets, from the Air National Guard Base. Also stationed at the base were C-97 Stratofreighter and C-130 transports. On April 30, 1990, the Van Nuys ANG Base lowered the flag for the last time during a special closing ceremony.

The Van Nuys Propeller Aircraft Association will use its website to keep people informed of the progress and events associated with the project. For more information, visit www.vnyprop.org.

07/10/08 - COMING SOON -THE PARK AT VAN NUYS-

Pacific Aviation Development, LLC announced the latest addition to its airport Park franchise - The Park at Van Nuys. The project is being built on 30 acres located at the northwest corner of the Van Nuys Airport. Construction is set to begin in June 2009.

The Park at Van Nuys will cater specifically to propeller aircraft operators at the world's busiest general aviation airport. The development will provide hangars, tie-down parking and office facilities for up to 350 aircraft and aviation related businesses. There will be a GA terminal building, full service FBO, self-serve fuel island, wash rack, along with other amenities.

Pacific Aviation Development, LLC is working to raise the bar for general aviation properties. The Park communities offer desirable facilities, complementary services and a high level of customer support for light GA aircraft. Other Park properties include: The Park at Brackett Field (KPOC), The Park at Chandler Airport (KCHD), The Park at Reno Stead Airport (4SD), The Park at Falcon Field (KFFZ), and the Park at Buchanan Field (KCCR). All Park residents will be able to utilize the amenities available at other Park properties and will be entitled to the same discounts they recieve at their base Park.

Argubright Construction has been secured as the contractor for The Park at Van Nuys. As a full service general contractor, Argubright has over 25 years of experience in the design, manufacture and construction of general aviation developments including at Whiteman Airport, Chino Airport, Lompoc Airport, William J. Fox Field, Santa Paula Airport, Lake Havasu Airport, Prescott Municipal Airport and Falcon Field.