Countywide : New Facility OKd for Martin Aviation

Martin Aviation won approval Tuesday from the Orange County Board of Supervisors to build a $3.8-million facility at John Wayne Airport to service and store private aircraft.

The board voted 4 to 0, with Supervisor William G. Steiner abstaining, to approval the deal, which is for a 20-year lease of the 10-acre area. Martin Aviation plans to demolish its present 25-year-old quarters to make way for the two-story building and hangar for corporate aircraft.

“For the general aviation community and cities of Orange County, I feel real happy they are going to have a state-of-the-art facility to operate from now,” said Martin Aviation President Richard Janisse.

Construction of the new facilities should take almost two years to complete. Under the agreement with the county, the 20-year lease extension will not be granted until the building’s certificate of occupancy is issued.

Martin Aviation is paying about $1 a square foot per month for five acres. Under the agreement, the private company will double the size of the area it leases and pay only a slight increase in rent. The company will pay 55 cents a square foot per month for 10 acres.

Janisse said that agreement will formalize an arrangement that has gone on for years in which Martin Aviation has actually been using about 10 acres but only having to pay for five. The company’s lease was due to expire May 1, he said.

Developer William Lyon, who heads Martin Aviation parent Air/Lyon Inc., has put up a deposit of $1.7 million as required by the county. The rest of the project cost will be financed.

The new building will include special amenities for pilots, such as exercise rooms, showers and lounges.

The new hangars could entice companies to move their aircraft from other Southland airports to John Wayne, he said. The amenities should bring in enough new revenue that no price increases are planned.

The building itself will be south of old terminal building, which itself is scheduled to be demolished, and will architecturally complement the Thomas F. Riley Terminal.