Tulsa International Airport has unveiled plans to turn 136-acres of unused airport land into an industrial development site.
 

The Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust (TAIT) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in search of developers for property which is located on the east side of the gateway.

The site has been identified in an overall development plan as suitable for either industrial, warehouse, or office use.
 

Jeff Mulder, airport director at Tulsa International Airport, said: “We have excess property that is not needed for airfield development purposes.
 

“Most of our property development is currently aeronautical however, like many airports we have now decided to focus on non-aeronautical activities.”
 

It is not the first time that Tulsa International Airport has considered developing the land around the gateway.
 

Mulder said: “We made an effort four or five years ago to look into a ‘master development’ of the entire airport property but after a year of talks we were unable to come to an agreement with the developer.

“Plans have been put on hold over the last few year because of the economic problems and the slow real estate market.
 

“However, now we have discovered that the real estate market is coming back in the Tulsa area, and we are looking at developing the land with a more focused approach.”
 

In addition to the improving market, the decision has been spurred on by significant interest from the aeronautical industry, Mulder said.
 

Two key companies based at Tulsa International Airport include American Airlines and Spirit Aerosystems which have both expressed an interest in bringing their supply chain closer to home for the “great ground access” the airport land offers.
 

Tulsa Airport currently owns 700 acres of land, 250 acres of which have airfield access and include the gateway’s North Development which in turn is home to an 80,000sqft American Airlines hangar.
 

Mulder said that there were other locations that the gateway would also consider developing in the future, but the current focus is on the 130-acres which is “best suited for industrial and commercial” use while the other plots would be better for retail.
 

More than 200 aerospace companies and suppliers are located in Tulsa, however other than this, the Tulsa area has limited availability of property suitable for industrial growth.
 

Mulder said that the RFP is not just targeting aviation, but is also open to others industries such as oil and gas, which have also a large manufacturing and refining presence in the Tulsa area.
 

“The land will be valuable to those companies looking to improve their supply chain as the property sits along a transportation corridor that includes easy access to US Highway 169, Interstate-244, and State Highway 11.
 

“Furthermore, the site’s proximity to the Port of Catoosa, rail lines, and major highways provide added value to companies looking to maximise the efficiency of their distribution systems,” Mulder added.
 

The airport is hoping to either lease or sell the 130-acres of land to the private sector to develop. Proposals are due on Thursday March 29, 2012 and the proposed timeline includes completed construction within the next three years.
 

On average, Tulsa International Airport handles around 3mppa and 54,000 tonnes of cargo a year.