Airports have long been
treated as centers of excellence, Good architecture, a lot of open
space, beautiful people and whining aircraft.
Recently we recognized that
21st century
would see Airports as economy engines also. Same as what
18th
century saw for seaports,
19th for railroads and
20th century saw
highways. Airports are in for mega-business growth. The valuable land
locked till now has recently been unlocked. Private entrepreneurs are
vying and dying to snatch a piece of cake.
An economic development
strategy of the 21st
century now includes the planned AEROTROPOLIS, an aviation linked
urban form consisting of an airport surrounded by tens of thousands of
acres of light industrial space, office space, upscale retail mix, businessclass hotel accommodations, restaurants, entertainment,
recreation, golf courses, and single and multiple-family housing.
This new urban form has
become a reality through the transformation of business from ground
transport to air transport. The airport has become the Central
Business District (CBD) providing employment, shopping, entertainment,
and business meeting destinations, and spin-off businesses have sprung
up around this new CBD in clusters of both radial and string
formations.
PLANNING AND DESIGN
Planning and Design for the
Aerotropolis includes traffic circles, visually appealing
architecture, integration of open space and active
recreation, and mixed use
development.
CORPORATE BENEFITS
The creation of an
Aerotropolis provides a region with the ability to attract
corporations that rely on time-sensitive manufacturing, ecommerce
fulfillment, telecommunications, and have air-travel intensive
professionals by providing convenient access to air travel transport
to national and international locations.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Expected returns for a
community with the development of an Aerotropol is include an
international business presence; an increase in tax base; an increase
in travelers to the region; construction jobs; a high-income
white-collar work force covering office, research, technology, retail
and commercial; and an increase in local material purchases. Local
spending will increase with the Aerotropolis becoming a destination
place for business, and travelers visiting the area for purposes other
than business will partake of shopping and attractions that are
provided.
COMPANIES RECOGNIZE NEED
FOR SPEED, AGILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
Since business is now
global, the successful business of the 21st
century will be one that recognizes the importance of speed, agility
and accessibility in providing products and services to their
customers.
There has been a shift in
the past 20 years from price and quality to speed. Companies must
recognize that change is constant, and be ready to adapt to change
with production flexibility and product customization. This agility
combined with shipment speed is mandatory.
Air commerce has changed
the local and national focus of business to an international and
global audience and customer base. Companies must place themselves in
a physically advantageous position to take advantage of air travel for
expeditious delivery of goods.
AEROTROPOLIS EXAMPLES
Aerotropolis centers exist
or are being planned in Ontario, California; Las Colinas in
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Paris, France; Campinas, Brazil; Lantau
Island, Hong Kong; Seoul, Korea; and Wayne County, Michigan.