VAN NUYS, CA (July 1, 2008) Castle & Cooke Aviation (Castle) is pleased to announce that the company has commenced negotiations with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to lease the former Jet Center property located on Daily Drive at Van Nuys Airport and redevelop the site into a world class Fixed Base Operation (FBO). Castle intends to demolish all existing improvements and construct all new aviation facilities that will include over 100,000 SF of hangar space and over 50,000 SF of FBO, office and shop space. Castle has designed an outstanding FBO facility that will be the premier aviation facility at VNY. Renderings of the new FBO are attached.
Castle’s negotiations with LAWA started this July after another proposer withdrew its proposal to develop the site. Steve Friedmann, Castle & Cooke Aviation’s Executive Vice President, stated, “Castle is excited to have the opportunity to redevelop the Daily Drive site in the next twelve months. Our owner, Mr. Murdock, has developed hangars at VNY for over 30 years and this project will be the culmination of his vision and drive to bring Los Angeles a world class FBO. The location of the site at VNY offers our customers the most direct route to the main runway and shortest take-off times versus any other FBO on the airport.”
Castle & Cooke Aviation is a part of the David H. Murdock family of companies and operates a growing network of FBOs located in Honolulu, Hawaii and Everett, Washington. Castle has conducted business at the Van Nuys Airport since 1981 and provides fuel, hangar, office and shop space to corporate flight departments, air charter companies, aircraft management companies and private aircraft owners. Castle’s current facility is located on the west side of the airport and is designed in distinctive red brick. The first phase was built in 1981, expanded in 1997, and a third hangar and office built in 2004.
Castle & Cooke, Inc. and its affiliated companies are owned by David H. Murdock. The company’s diversified businesses have operations in over 24 states and include the development and ownership of real estate, leasing of transportation equipment, manufacture of brick and building materials, oil and gas holdings, aviation services, and ownership of public warehouses. The company’s real estate developments include the North Carolina Research Campus and master planned communities such as Lake Sherwood in Thousand Oaks, California, Mililani Town on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, plus Seven Oaks in Bakersfield, California and Keene’s Pointe in Orlando, Florida. In Hawaii, the company owns 98% of the 90,000 acre island of Lana’i and two award winning Four Seasons Hotels, David H. Murdock also owns the Dole Food Company, which is the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers.
For more information, please contact Steven C. Friedmann, Executive Vice President - Castle & Cooke Aviation at (818) 742-3401.