Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is getting a major upgrade with an $80 million air cargo facility that aims to help businesses in Wisconsin and Midwest move large freight faster and cheaper.
The new facility will be built on the site of a former military base that once housed C-130 cargo planes until the 440th Airlift Wing was shut down in 2008.
Demolition has already begun to clear the old structures and make way for the new air cargo facility, which will be large enough to hold up to five 747-400 aircraft and cover an area equivalent to nearly six football fields on the south end of the airport off College Avenue.
WATCH: $80 million air cargo facility coming to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
"Behind me is one of the hangars that was used by the 440th and this is going to be the main area where those planes are coming in and going out so big cargo planes coming in and out," said Harold Mester, the airport's public affairs and marketing director.
The county has been searching for a permanent user for this prime location ever since the 440th moved out. The estimated $80 million investment comes from Crow Holdings, a multi-billion-dollar real estate developer that is taking on the risk in exchange for a 50-year lease.
"It is coming at no cost to taxpayers. So even though there's going to be 10s of millions of dollars invested in the site, it's not costing anyone any dollars here locally," Mester said.
Aviation enthusiast Mike Wasik, who often stops by the parking lot on Layton Avenue to watch planes come and go, is intrigued by the air freight project and its potential economic benefits.
"I think it's, it's a big step if they're planning 747s coming in to haul cargo. It's obviously going to help the economy around here," Wasik said.
The project is a speculative "build it and they will come" venture for Crow Holdings. The company is still looking for carrier tenants, freight forwarders and shippers but the company believes there's built-in demand given Wisconsin's and the Midwest's large manufacturing and business base.
The project has cleared all necessary county government approvals. "We feel this is a win-win," Mester said. "Crow Holding sees opportunities here to provide a better cargo experience for customers that need to get their products in or out of really the Midwest."
The MKE Airport South Cargo Project is expected to be up and running by the second half of 2026.
This story was reported by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
