When Doug and Vergie Meigs decided to pursue the idea of building an airpark, they knew they’d run into some confusion. That’s because most pilots automatically associate that name with the now-defunct airport in Chicago.
“We typed ‘Meigs Field’ into an Internet search engine and up came the other one,” said Doug Meigs, a pilot and contractor in the Houston area. “So we went with Meigs Field Airport for our site.”
The website is to promote their new development, known as Meigs Field Airport Subdivision.
“Meigs just happens to be our name too,” said Vergie Meigs.
“But I wouldn’t be surprised if that other Meigs Field was named after some kin, though,” Doug Meigs chimed in.
The couple owns Chalet Construction, which is developing the airpark in conjunction with Jolly Properties, Inc.
“Our first task was to see if there was any interest in this,” Doug Meigs recalled. “We went to the FAA and learned that there were 19,000 licensed pilots in the Houston area and we thought, ‘there must be a need for this!'”
The subdivision is designed to be the quintessential airport community.
“The airport will have a 4,800 foot runway,” he said. “Plans are to develop 32 one-acre lots down the sides of the runway. People will have hangars on the airport side of the homes and garages on the street side.”
Among the amenities being created are a 12-acre lake that will be stocked with bass and catfish.
“We’re excavating the lake now,” he said. “It will be 12 feet deep. The dirt we are removing will be used for the housing construction. Once the lake is finished we will start laying out the lots for homes.”
As this issue was going to press, it was still too early to sell lots, but Meigs noted that 15 people already have indicated interest in living at the new airpark.
“It is very convenient,” he said. “It is only about 20 miles from Houston and is surrounded by rural land.
“This will be strictly an airport community,” he continued. “There will be no commercial activity — no flight schools, no mechanics. We are trying to keep it as homey as possible, although we plan to have a fueling depot for the convenience of the people who live at the airport. We also plan to have a GPS approach.”
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