After years of remaining quietly for sale, the Skycraft Parts & Surplus building on Fairbanks Avenue will have to wait a little bit longer to finally be sold, as the city commission has postponed the public hearing for the zoning details of the sale from January 27 to February 10 per the request of its potential new owner, the Magruder Eye Institute.
The preliminary plans for the property, which include a two-story, 32,000-square-foot medical office building, were unanimously approved by the city Planning & Zoning Board on January 5, 2021. However, the Magruder Eye Institute postponed the hearing due to a request for zoning, permitting, and overall approval logistics.
In addition to the Skycraft building, the Magruder Eye Institute plans to acquire four adjacent rental home properties in the deal and has two more under its own contract. The roughly 2.5 acres of land will eventually house the new medical office building as well as accessible parking for its patients.
Skycraft has listed the deal for $5.5 million, which includes the 6,000-square-foot retail space along with its four additional residential properties. The property has piqued the interest of multiple interested buyers, such as Wawa and other fast-food franchises.
Listing the property is Skycraft owner Allen Fiedler, who is represented by Glen Jaffee with Cushman & Wakefield real estate. Fiedler, who was once set on expanding Skycraft, Inc., obtained these surrounding properties with plans for future Skycraft operations.
For 45 years, the Skycraft building has been best known for its iconic red rocket ship and hovering flying saucer elevated above the building, making it impossible to miss by patrons driving down Fairbanks Avenue. Although future operations will not include its cartoonish building décor, Skycraft Parts & Surplus, Inc. plans to continue its retail services in the future at a different location.
