By Andrew Webb
Journal Staff Writer
From personal jet aircraft to high-end mattresses to the electric automobile of the future, Albuquerque's West Side is taking on the look of a 21st-century manufacturing center.
Eclipse Aviation is the latest to make a major announcement involving the area.
The company said Tuesday it has started construction on its first building at Double Eagle II Airport, the first of several expected at an eventual 150-acre manufacturing campus.
When completed at the end of the year, the two-story, 41,500-square-foot building will house about 100 training, flight support and administrative employees. About half of them will be new hires.
Eclipse employs 1,000 in several buildings at or near the Albuquerque International Sunport. It plans to move its entire operation to the West Side airport, where it plans to build up to 1,000 light jets per year and employ more than 2,000 workers.
"... Our new facility at Double Eagle II will be instrumental in our quest to grow our business," Eclipse Aviation CEO Vern Raburn said in a statement. "I want to personally thank (Albuquerque) Mayor (Martin) Chávez and the local community for their unflagging support and encouragement as we continue to pursue our vision to change the way the world travels."
It was the second major announcement affecting the West Side in as many days. Tesla Motors announced Monday that it plans to build a factory there to manufacture electric cars.
Tesla plans to employ 400 people initially, with an eventual work force in the thousands.
Tempur-Pedic recently held a grand opening for its factory in the same area. The factory makes mattresses sold worldwide for upward of $5,000, and expects to employ 300 people.
Airport taking off
Since 2004, Double Eagle II has undergone more than $15 million in improvements to runways, structures and infrastructure, such as sewer and telecommunications services. An 80-foot, $2.8 million control tower was completed there last year.
Funding for improvements came from the city, the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Officials expect suppliers to Eclipse eventually will relocate to, or have facilities at, a 300-acre Aerospace Technology Park also under development at Double Eagle II.
"Eclipse has grown into a vital force in Albuquerque's business community, and it is wonderful to see the company continue to expand their operations at the Albuquerque Sunport and start their development at Double Eagle II," Chávez said in a statement. "We look forward to the company's positive impact on our community through their continued expansion and success in Albuquerque, as well as in the national aviation arena."
Eclipse officially handed over ownership of its first production aircraft to a group of owners in late December, though it is leasing the plane back for marketing purposes. The company currently has 54 aircraft in production.
The company aims to attract a new class of pilots and owners with its twin-engine, $1.5 million Eclipse 500 jet.
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