SALINA, Kan. — City officials and developers gathered Thursday to celebrate the opening phase of Aero Plains, a new residential neighborhood situated near the Salina Regional Airport. A ribbon-cutting ceremony held by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce and an open house marked the first major milestone for the project, which is expected to become one of the city’s most expansive housing developments in recent years.
Derek Lee, a member of the development’s ownership group, said the initial phase includes 50 completed townhomes, with an additional 100 currently in the pipeline. The full buildout could eventually bring as many as 350 homes to the area.
Designed with efficiency and accessibility in mind, the townhomes range in size from roughly 1,000 to over 1,500 square feet. Each unit features an underground storm shelter, a two-car garage, and modern landscaping. The properties are priced at $199,000 and $229,000, depending on the selected floor plan.
The layout offers three configurations—named Lear, Citation, and Gulfstream—in a nod to business jet models, reflecting the development’s proximity to the airport and its aviation-inspired theme. Streets throughout the neighborhood bear the names of notable aviators and figures with local ties, including Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and Salina native and former NASA astronaut Steve Hawley. One street is named for Tim Rogers, the recently retired executive director of the Salina Airport Authority.
Mr. Lee described the location as well-positioned amid “significant job growth,” pointing to demand for housing in the area.
Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz, who attended the event, noted that the development is helping to address a persistent housing gap in the Salina market. 16 of the first 50 homes have already been sold, with interest expected to grow as additional phases take shape.
The Aero Plains project represents one of several recent efforts by city and regional leaders to attract and retain residents through new housing options in key growth corridors.
