City anticipates continued growth in aviation/aerospace niche
The City of Colleyville in recent years has seen an influx of professionals in the industries of medical, finance, insurance and real estate. But a new three-story, 13,263-square-foot building that went up this summer a stone's throw from City Hall represents a relatively new industry making a foothold in the community: aviation.
"We have a lot of pilots and airline employees and DFW International [Airport] employees who live in and around our city so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this niche has now risen to the surface, but we're really excited about it," Colleyville Economic Development Director Marty Wieder said.
Plans for Aviation Place were announced last spring after Colleyville resident Jack Prewitt decided to relocate the headquarters of his corporate aircraft sales and acquisitions company closer to home.
Jack Prewitt & Associates Inc. will take over the third floor of the new building, expected to open before the end of the year, and the remainder of the space has been leased by a handful of businesses relocating from Southlake and Bedford, including Corporate Aviation Analysis & Planning, Dallas Jet International, Helicopter Exchange Limited and Aircraft Transaction Facilitators, all of whom collaborate with Prewitt and his team.
"It is my hope that the relocation of my business and four other industry leaders will spur continued aviation development in Colleyville," Prewitt said in a written statement. "For us, the proximity to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is an advantage, and we expect other aviation companies to follow suit."
The tenants of Aviation Place will join a number of other aviation and aerospace companies that opened offices in Colleyville this year, including aerospace staffing agency Agent Technical, aircraft engine provider Nighthawk Aviation, and the recently relocated Helicopter Marketing Associates, LLC, which specializes in the sale and acquisition of Bell Helicopters.
Wieder points to longtime corporate resident Aviation Alliance Inc., which designs airport lighting and navigation systems, assists with airport design and more, as proof that Colleyville — well placed between three airports — will be the perfect new home for them all.
"I think this is going to put Colleyville on the map," Wieder said.
