About the PDA | Pease Development Authority

Expansion at the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease

Years of continued growth have led to a significant expansion of the main terminal at the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease. See what the finished project looks like and learn how it has improved the passenger experience.

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SUCCESS
STORY

When the U.S. Department of Defense ordered the closing of the Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire leadership was responsible for establishing a redevelopment plan for the 4,255-acre plot of land. What came from that effort was a successful transformation from a shuttered air force base to a booming economic hub.

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Pease, the then 4,255-acre home of Strategic Air Command’s 509th Bomb Wing, was closed as an air force base after 35 years in operation. The NH legislature enacted a law establishing the Pease Redevelopment Commission (PRC) to plan for the closure and redevelopment of the base.

Total withdrawal of the 509th Bomb Wing aircraft was completed. The PRC discusses options for use of Pease, including a music festival space, shopping mall or minor league baseball stadium. The PRC eventually approves the first phase of a three-phase planning process envisioning an international aviation hub and high-technology industrial development. The NH legislature drafts a law creating the Pease Development Authority (PDA), granting the PDA the power to implement the base redevelopment plan with the 3,000 acres it took on.

Pease opened for civilian use through an Airfield Joint Use Agreement (AJUA) with the United States Air Force, with a field-base operator offering services to general aviation. Zoning was adopted to provide for four different types of development: a 797-acre airport zone, a 448-acre airport industrial zone, a 333-acre industrial zone, and a 466-acre business/commercial zone. 781 acres were also set aside for natural resource protection and wetlands mitigation.

The name Pease International Tradeport becomes official, following several months of marketing through brochures and a multilingual video for both domestic and international distribution.

Businesses began coming to Pease, including Lonza Biologics, Red Hook Brewery and Two International Group

The remaining acres of the Pease property are transferred to the PDA.

Since the original transfer of property in 1992, the PDA has been able to bring more than 10,500 new jobs to Pease, develop more than 3,000 Acres of land, and attract occupants for 4.85 million square feet of existing building space.

STEWARDSHIP
OF PEASE

Ensuring Pease continues to benefit future generations is a critical component of the work of the Pease Development Authority. The Engineering Department’s role in this mission is to implement environmental protection programs, administer land use controls, conduct property repair and maintenance, and monitor construction activities.

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FACILITATING
DEVELOPMENT

We provide the necessary planning, design and construction of infrastructure to maintain the attractiveness of Pease to potential tenants. The Facilities and Engineering Department has secured more than $85 million in Federal grants for upgrades at Pease, and works to obtain local and state approvals for construction, air emissions and other processes.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS

Utilizing Federal funding, the Engineering and Facilities Department has initiated several projects focused on improving surface water and air quality at and around Pease. We also have ongoing programs that are not federally funded, included monitoring stormwater discharges from Pease under the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.

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PROPERTY REPAIR &
MAINTENANCE

The Engineering & Maintenance Departments develop and bid out several contracts to provide services in conjunction with property repair and maintenance. Most of these contracts are multi-year, but require a considerable effort in terms of monitoring and coordinating the services.

CONSTRUCTION
MONITORING

During the construction process, the Engineering Department coordinates the activities of clients, utilities and municipal personnel involved in the project. The department also monitors the effectiveness of erosion control and other measures to protect the valuable natural resources throughout Pease and guards against excessive land clearing and ensures a high degree of quality landscaping.

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Engineering, Land Use, & Development

Being good stewards of the land on Pease encompasses environmental protections, oversight of development and construction, an awareness of land use initiatives and needs, and ensuring any infrastructure development occurs in line with regulations and guidelines.

Learn more about how we care for the land and oversee development on Pease, and access applications, guidelines, regulations, and permits.

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