Photo courtesy SRQ Airport: Sign shows plans for Sheltair facility.

Ground broke on a new private aviation facility at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Sheltair, the largest privately owned aviation network in the country, plans to open facilities near the end of 2025, promising to invest $40 million as it opens two hangars at the property.

“I can’t begin to express how excited we are to be in the Sarasota market,” said Lisa Holland, Sheltair president and CEO. “We recognize the potential that it holds for us, and we look forward to working with the community to bring our Family First mission to the area.”

The company plans to open one hangar with almost 30,000 square feet of hangar space and just under 6,000 square feet of office space. A second hangar will provide another nearly 17,000 square feet of hangar space and another 3,500 square feet for offices.  Those will accommodate all classes of commercial aircraft.

The “crown jewel” of the site, according to an announcement from the airport, will be a 10,705-square-foot terminal on 15 acres of airport space with a large airspace canopy. That will include space for pilots and passengers for private flights with a private lounge and conference rooms available. There will also be crew rest facilities available.

Airport officials say the new facility to further establish SRQ airport as a private flight terminal, not just as the fastest growing commercial airport in the country.

“We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Sheltair as the third fixed base operator at SRQ,” said Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. “Situated on 24 acres within the new north quad airport development, this addition will provide another choice for the general aviation community and bring numerous job opportunities to the Sarasota-Bradenton area.”

Other FBOs already in operation at SRQ airport include Dolphin Aviation and Atlantic Aviation.

For Sheltair, the expansion to Sarasota marks the company’s 13th location in Florida and 17th location overall.

Long-term, Sheltair plans to grow its facilities to include a 60,000-square-foot maintenance, repair and overhaul facility and as many as four more hangars, each of those adding more than 20,000 square feet of space.

Photo courtesy SRQ Airport: Sign shows plans for Sheltair facility.