October 26, elected officials, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), Conrac Solutions, rent-a-car industry and project stakeholders gathered to break ground on the new Quick Turn-Around rent-a-car facility at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. The new facility will improve rental operations by consolidating all car fueling, cleaning and maintenance for the six on-airport rent-a-car brands in a single, on-airport location. Opening is scheduled November 2023.
“The groundbreaking of this state-of-the-art facility will allow AVP to better service our ground transportation customers, as well as improve efficiency with our ground transportation partners,” stated Carl R. Beardsley, Jr., AVP Executive Director.
Through the Tenant Development Approach, Conrac Solutions will provide development, financing and operation of the Quick Turn-Around facility. The 2.68-acre site will include a 13,000 square foot building accommodating two automated car washes, offices and break room, six fueling stations, one above-ground fuel tank and staging for more than 300 vehicles. Additionally, the project facility will include the installation of a covered walkway alongside the vehicle Ready Return area to improve the passenger experience by providing protection from weather elements.
No taxpayer money is used to build the facility. Financing of the $11 million project is supported solely by the Customer Facility Charge charged to rental customers. The financing was arranged by Conrac Solutions Capital and provided by iCON Infrastructure LLP. Under the financing structure, the Airport and rent-a-car industry bear no financial obligations for the facility construction cost or long-term maintenance of the facility.
Scranton-based L.R. Costanzo Construction Services Co., Inc. will lead the project’s design and building, with PGAL as architect.“We appreciate the opportunity to have teamed with the rent-a-car industry and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to bring the vision for an enhanced AVP Airport to fruition. We are also excited to work with regional partners to provide an improved transportation solution to those traveling in northeastern Pennsylvania,” says Conrac Solutions’ CEO Michael Minerva.
“Hertz is accelerating the adoption of electrification by investing in the largest rental fleet of electric vehicles in North America and expanding the availability of charging stations,” said Scott Pflueger, The Hertz Corporation Director, Properties & Concessions. “The new Consolidated Quick Turn-Around Facility at AVP, is another way to provide the general public with a premium electric experience while reducing carbon emissions.”
