Washington Manassas Airport held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, October 20, for its new, larger control tower.
Control Tower Details
According to the City of Manassas, the new, eight-story tower will encompass approximately 18,300 square feet. It replaces the existing tower, which was commissioned in 1992 as the FAA’s first recycled air traffic control tower. The City of Manassas purchased the tower from Centennial Airport in Colorado and relocated it to Manassas, where it has served for more than 34 years.
The new tower will include training support spaces, offices, a playback room, and a state-of-the-art simulator. Its control cab will encompass approximately 550 square feet, nearly three times the size of the existing 189-square-foot cab.
The facility will also be 125 feet high, an increase of 58 feet over the existing tower’s height. The city says the added elevation will provide “enhanced visibility across the airfield.”
Construction is expected to be completed by 2029 at an estimated project cost of $41 million. The Federal Aviation Administration will cover $26 million of the costs, and the Virginia Department of Aviation $1 million. The city of Manassas will fund the remaining cost, according to Potomac Local News.
A ‘New Chapter’
“Today marks the beginning of an important new chapter for the Airport,” Airport Director Juan E. Rivera said in a release. “This project, which has been over 26 years in the making, represents our continued investment in the future of aviation, safety, and our community. On behalf of Washington Manassas Airport, I want to extend my sincere appreciation for the collaboration and dedication of our federal, state, county, and city partners for investing in our community.”
Washington Manassas Airport — formerly known as Manassas Regional Airport — was renamed earlier this year in an effort to attract commercial airlines and better position itself within the DC region.
The airport recently received FAA approval to accommodate commercial passenger airlines. It hopes to begin offering commercial flights as early as November 2027, Rivera told WTOP.
