At the 11/05 Commissioners Meeting the firm of Torti Gallas + Partners (TG+P) presented the Plan. They have made other innovation plans for jurisdictions in the area. Through the Calvert-St. Mary’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (CSMMPO), the Department of Economic Development issued a request for proposal to develop a master plan for the St. Mary’s County Airport Innovation District.

Their proposed plan has 11 key elements.

North Side Taxiway and Large-format Hangar Space
Innovation Square
West Hangar Expansion
Three Notch Road Airport Gateway
Three Notch Road Branding and Wayfinding Strategy
Innovation Village
Wildewood Shopping Center Potential Redevelopment
West Innovation Village
Manufacturing and Fabrication Zone
Transportation and Mobility Network
Programmatic and Management Activities

A presentation point made was that “innovation happens over beer, coffee, conversation”.
Innovation districts are: “Geographic areas where leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators, and accelerators. They are also physically compact, transit accessible, and technically-wired and offer mixed-use housing, office, and retail”

Things TG+P heard thru various meetings and outreach events include;

- maintain operations
- the need for more/larger hangers
- the airport is hidden
- we need to diversify, attract, and retain employees and programs
- connect the various education programs / systems with jobs
- there is a lack of amenities such as trails, sidewalks, and commuting travel options
- we need gathering and meeting (conference) sites to connect private industry with the base that addresses security
- there is a lack of connections, walk paths, observation area

The Airport runway extension is set to be complete in 2 or 3 years.
You can read more about that here: http://www.threenotchmedia.com/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=11