by April Scheinoha
Reporter

The third busiest freight airport in the state will soon have another cargo hangar. On Monday, April 24, the Thief River Falls Regional Airport broke ground for a new 30,000 square-foot cargo hangar facility, which will be built on the south side of the airport. Estimated to cost $15.5 million, the two-bay cargo hangar is expected to be completed in summer 2024.

Representatives of the Thief River Falls Regional Airport Authority, Short Elliott Hendrickson and Miller Dunwiddie gathered Monday, April 24 to break ground on a new cargo hangar at the airport. Estimated to cost $15.5 million, the facility will measure 30,000 square feet and also include offices, a locker room and a conference room.

“This is going to be a great thing for our community,” said Pennington County Board Chairperson Neil Peterson, who chairs the Airport Authority.

The project has been four years in the making. Digi-Key approached the Airport Authority in 2019 about a larger cargo hangar. In 2020, the Airport Authority lobbied the state and received $5.5 million in bonding proceeds. Later, it received an additional $7.5 million in congressionally-directed spending for the project. Airport Manager Joe Hedrick said the Airport Authority is requesting another $3 million in state bonding proceeds.

“Everyone on the local level and at the Airport Authority was really willing to go the extra mile to make this project happen and make it be successful. That says a lot about the community,” said Ariel Christenson, project manager with Short Elliott Hendrickson.

The new hangar will have enough space to park two CRJ-200 aircraft. In 2020, IFL Group transitioned to those larger aircraft to transport packages on behalf of both FedEx and UPS at the airport.

IFL Group plans to lease space in the new cargo hangar. It ships a considerable amount of product for Digi-Key. The current hangar would then be used by other tenants. Hedrick said Denver Air Connection has already expressed interest, and a few other potential tenants have expressed interest.

Predominantly constructed of pre-cast concrete, the new hangar will provide more functionality and flexibility for future growth than the current hangar. It will also include a few offices, a locker room and a conference room, which needed a new home.

Zachary Flann, design team leader with Miller Dunwiddie, said the cargo hangar will feature a Megadoor. This lifting, hanging door will provide better climate control since it can be lifted to whatever elevation is needed. The Megadoor will also provide more natural light.

The new cargo hangar is possible as a result of partnerships involving the Airport Authority, government agencies and businesses. One of those businesses is Digi-Key.

Dave Doherty, president/chief operating officer, noted that Digi-Key’s story is able to continue due to projects like the new cargo hangar. He said Digi-Key has grown 78% over the last two years from $2.8 billion to $5.1 billion. At last count, it has shipped 929,000 packages to 180 countries. Digi-Key may receive accolades for its work, but Doherty said the business only takes the orders and gets them ready to be shipped. Shipping firms enable Digi-Key to ship products to customers’ doors.

“People will say, ‘Why wouldn’t you move to Memphis or Nashville? You’d be right on the doorstep of these major carriers.’” said Doherty. “And the one thing we have that they don’t is sense of community.”

By building infrastructure like the new cargo hangar, Doherty said the community helps make wonderful things happen.