Constructed in 1942
Keystone Heights Airpark, constructed in 1942 as Crystal Lake Airfield, was commissioned in December 1942 as Keystone Army Airfield. The City of Keystone Heights acquired the property from the federal government in 1947. The City passed an ordinance in 1991 creating the Keystone Airpark Authority to oversee the management and financial matters of the airport.
The city of Keystone Heights/Keystone Airpark Authority owns and operates the Keystone Airpark. The Airpark serves the aviation needs of Clay, Bradford, and portions of Alachua Counties. In November 2001, the Authority authorized a Notice-to-Proceed to Earth Tech Consulting, Inc. to prepare an Airport Master Plan Update for the Airpark. Funding for the Airport Master Plan Update was obtained through a 90 percent grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP), with 5 percent of the funds from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and the remaining 5 percent of the funds from the Authority.
Sharing the North border of the Airpark is Camp Blanding, the Florida National Guard Reservation and "Fly through History" Military Museum and Memorial Park. This museum is dedicated to the World war II units that trained there during the early 1940's.
Keystone Heights Airpark employs one full-time clerk and two part-time maintenance workers. The airport is home to fixed wing as well as helicopter flight training schools; a skilled driving school, the European Rally and Performance Driving School; an aluminium manufacturing company; REDD Team Manufacturing; and an FAA certified airframe and power plant mechanic. The businesses located on airport property employ approximately 80 people.
The Airpark's industrial park consists of approximately 297 acres of mostly uplands. The park's access is from SR 100 with feeders to US 301 and SR 21. This park is ideal for both aviation and nonaviation type businesses. Depending on a company's requirements, lot sizes can be increased or decreased to fit the specific development. Given the size of a business development and the number of potential job creation, the Authority can assist in securing grants to offset some startup costs.
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