The company plans to build a new brewery at the site.
Frederick, Md (KM) The Board of Aldermen Thursday night unanimously approved three agreements which finalize the sale of nearly 32-acres of land near Frederick Municipal Airport to Flying Dog Brewery. The company says it plans to build a new, state-of-the-art brewery at the site.
Director of Economic Development, Richard Griffin, says one of the agreement is deed of easement. “This particular easement agreement is to insure that the public interest in the existing Airport Drive East Extended, and Controller Court, and the public utilities–water, sewer and electricity–located on Lot 15 are protected,” he said.
The City agreed to sell the 31.69-acre parcel called Lot 15, located at 1715 Bowman Farm Road, to Flying Dog for $2.55-million. The company says it plans to build a new, $40-million, 150,000 square-foot, brewery and Farm Brewery at the site, which can produce 700,000 barrels of bear annually.
The property was purchased by the city in 2008 for critically needed infrastructure projects at Frederick Municipal Airport. That included a control tower, navigational aids, utilities and access roads to the airport. After the completion of these projects, Lot 15 was considered surplus property, and the FAA said the city would not be reimbursed for its purchase of the land.
Griffin said another agreement the Aldermen approved on Thursday would protect an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast antenna on the property. “This agreement assigns the rights, interests and responsibilities from the city to the buyer, while protecting the long term use of the site for an ABSB radio station antenna,” he says.
An ABSB antenna assists pilots and air traffic controllers keep track of aircraft in the skies.
The third document addresses the continued operation of the airport. “This is to obtain and preserve for the use and benefit of the public a free right and unobstructed flight for aircraft landing, upon taking off from or maneuvering about Frederick Municipal Airport,” says Griffin. He called it an “easement that’s over this land that just protects the interest of the airport to continue to be able to fly aircraft over the property.”
Flying Dog hopes to open its new facility by mid-2020. It currently has a brewery on Wedgewood Boulevard which produces 100,000 of beer annually.
“I’m really glad to see Flying Dog wanting to chose to come into the city of Frederick, and making that commitment and that investment,” says Alderman Josh Bokee. “I think it sends hopefully a signal to other businesses and investors as well.”
By Kevin McManus