"Airport terminal to become small business-grower"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Monday, October 10, 2005

Airport terminal to become small business-grower
By Monique Lewis 
The Salisbury (MD) Daily Times


SALISBURY -- New leases for a business center should begin by Jan. 1, said
Robert Bryant, director of the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional
Airport.

Bryant said he abandoned the former terminal building from 1998 until 2004
because its expenses were taking away from their first priority: the
airfield.

After partnering with Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development a year ago,
the airport was awarded a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant, among
other grants, to go toward $704,000 in renovations, Bryant said.

The former terminal building will be turned into a small business incubator
offering short-term leases to small businesses preparing permanent
facilities offsite, he said.

"The intention is to essentially allow these companies a startup
opportunity," he said. "The incubator can hold up to five businesses on
8,600 square feet."

When the terminal first opened in the early '90s, Filtronic Comtek was one
of the first companies to join, said Dave Ryan, executive director of
Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development. The company started with less than
a dozen employees and has grown to about 300 employees since moving out in
1996, he said.

Bryant said the final inspection of the renovations will be Oct. 20 and that
two companies could open by Jan. 1.


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