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AirportImprovement.com      May | June 2026
GENERAL AVIATION 
5B2 
recalls Kelsey, who 
was still employed at 
North American Flight 
Services at the time. 
McFarland Johnson 
Grants Administrator 
Kelli Walters explains that 
competition was stiff for 
the special state grants, so the project team 
had to be ready right out of the gate. “The size 
of airport is not as big of a factor as you might 
think,” says Walters, noting that Saratoga 
County was competing with larger airports in 
Syracuse, Albany and Westchester County.
Senior Project 
Engineer Turner C. 
Bradford, PE, quickly 
assembled a team and 
worked with Fennick 
McCredie Architecture 
and county personnel 
to plan the project in 
case the special state 
grant was awarded. 
Amanda DeCesare, 
PE, senior vice 
president and national 
aviation design 
director from WSP 
USA, worked with the 
New York Department 
of Transportation 
to evaluate the 
applications to determine which airports 
would receive funding through the $230 
million grant competition. “It’s not like 
a standard FAA grant,” says DeCesare. 
“NYSDOT had their own specific project 
evaluation criteria for this program, which 
focused on design innovation, enhancing 
passenger amenities, customer experience, 
operational efficiencies, economic feasibility 
and geographic diversity.” 
Of the 24 New York airports eligible to 
apply, 20 submitted project proposals and 
nine made the final cut. Saratoga County 
Airport, considered by some to be a 
longshot, made it to the winner’s circle but 
AMANDA DeCESARE
TURNER C BRADFORD 
KELLI WALTERS
FACTS&FIGURES 
Projects: New Terminal & Hangar; Apron 
Rehabilitation 
Location: Saratoga County Airport – Ballston Spa, NY
Owner: Saratoga County, NY
Approx. Cost: $36.3 million
Funding: $27 million NYSDOT Upstate Aviation Grant 
(for terminal/hangar project); $1.9 million FAA grants; 
$5.8 million from Saratoga County; $1.4 million NYSDOT 
Aviation Capital Program (for terminal generator); 
$88,000 state match for FAA Funding; $88,000 county 
match for FAA funding
Key Benefits: Updating & improving infrastructure 
for aviation customers; adding facilities for community 
use; accommodating traffic during horse racing season, 
which this year includes the Belmont Stakes while its 
home track is being renovated 
Project Timeline: Demolition of existing hangar mid-
Oct. 2023; excavation for concrete foundation mid-Jan. 
2024; construction of new terminal & hangar mid-Jan. 
2024 to mid-July 2025
Catalyst: Application for Upstate Development 
Competition in 2021; awarded Feb. 2023
Terminal: 20,784 sq. ft.  
Hangar: 19,698 sq. ft.
Apron Rehabilitation: 1.56 acres
Environmental Aspects: On-site habitat 
for endangered butterfly; installation of solar 
& geothermal systems
Terminal Features: Public restaurant & meeting 
room; updated fire suppression system; 
Consultant: McFarland Johnson Inc. 
Design: Fennick McCredie Architecture
State DOT Grants Management: WSP USA
Hangar Demolition: Murnane Building 
Contractors Inc.
Prime Contractor for New Terminal/Hangar: 
LeChase Construction Services
Prime Contractor for Apron Rehab: Callanan 
Industries Inc. 
Geothermal Well Drilling: Hawk Drilling 
Company Inc.
Geothermal Pipes & Heating Equipment 
Installation: Eckert Mechanical LLC
Hangar Doors: Door Engineering & Manufacturing, 
a Senneca Co.
Terminal Windows: Marvin Windows
Landside Paving, Parking Lots 
& Landscaping: LeChase Construction
Annual Operations: 50,000 (70% during horse 
racing season July-Labor Day) plus this year’s Belmont 
Stakes in June
Based Aircraft: 100 (airplanes, gliders & helicopters)
Tenants: 50

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