The Gary/Chicago International Airport broke ground on a new $12 million hangar, which will house Wingtip Aviation.
The company signed a 20-year lease with the airport, which will construct and operate it.
“Wingtip Aviation is thrilled to be taking off on our next adventure with GCIA, as we look forward to expanding operations here in a few, short months,” said Jeromy Montesano, owner of Wingtip Aviation, in a press release.
The 47,000-square-foot hangar is expected to open in May 2025.
“GCIA has seen extensive growth and investment over the years, and this new hangar is further evidence of the airport’s incredible promise as an economic engine for the city of Gary and our Region,” Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in a press release. “Investments such as this new hangar create jobs and critical economic investment to the Region, helping provide a strong foundation for future economic development.”
The project also received $1.3 million in funding through Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative grant program.
Melton, Gary Common Council President Tai Adkins, Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-1st), GCIA Authority Secretary Millicent Macon, Randy Palmateer of the Northwest Indiana Construction and Building Trades Council, Mark Wasky of the IEDC and Jeromy Montesano of Wingtip Aviation were on hand for the June 18 ceremony.
“It is exciting to see new projects such as this hangar break ground, and we welcome the airport’s newest tenant to the Gary/Chicago International Airport,” City of Gary Common Council President Tai Adkins said. “Investments such as this help to promote the type of long-term investment that attracts further capital while supporting jobs and economic development in our area.”
The project is one of a series of improvements to the airport that began in 2015 with the extension of its main runway to about 9,000 feet. That project led to the addition of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility in 2018.
“The combination of our full-service aviation management portfolio and the recently lengthened runway will increase the attraction for larger aircraft and enable future growth,” Montesano said.
Wingtip Aviation is a charter service based in Valparaiso.
(Rendering of the new GCIA hangar provided by GCIA)
