Development starts at Minden-Tahoe Aiport

Construction is under way on an ambitious plan to boost general aviation space and services at Minden Tahoe Airport.

Pinion Aero Center LLC, a group of three private investors, has a plan to erect as much as 1 million square feet of aircraft hangar and light industrial flex space at Minden Tahoe Airport.

The Pinion Aero Center will start with a much more modest beginning, though: 12 T-hangars for general aviation aircraft and three more hangars to house gliders. The initial phase encompasses 7,374 square feet.

General contractor Pinecrest Construction Development of Reno has erected much of the steel framework, and the hangar doors were scheduled to be installed last week, says Floyd Rowley of Johnson Group, who is handling sales and leasing of the hangars.

Rowley says the developers have floated the idea to increase hangar space at Minden Tahoe Airport for about 10 years, and as the economies of California and Nevada slowly recovered ground lost over the past four years the project finally took shape.

"The developer believes that given the strength of the economy in California and the apparent resurgence of the northern Nevada economy there will be a demand for these hangars and people resume migrating here from California," Rowley says.

The hangar space could prove attractive to general aviation enthusiasts from Incline Village, Glenbrook, Zephyr Cove and throughout northern Nevada, Rowley says. Hangars are priced at about $89 per square foot.

Pinion will sell individual hangars subordinate to a master lease with the airport or lease space outright. Future development is contingent upon demand for initial phases of the project, Rowley adds.