These major construction projects will need Columbia City Council approval Monday

The next phases of a couple significant projects in Columbia could get approval Monday night by the Columbia City Council.

A public hearing and vote will take place on construction and redesign of the Columbia Regional Airport's former automated flight service station. This building is just south of the new terminal and if construction is approved by the council, will serve as airport administration offices, car rental space, and Transportation Security Administration offices.

After engineering design was completed by Burns and McDonnell for roughly $378,000, the construction project itself is estimated to cost $4.8 million paid through the city's Terminal Project AP111 fund. Construction is expected to start this summer, pending council approval.

Clary-Shy Park at 1701 W. Ash St. is home to the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and the recently completed University of Missouri Health Care Pavilion used weekly by the Columbia Farmers Market. There still is one more piece needed: a welcome center to complete Columbia's Agriculture Park.

CCUA through American Rescue Plan Act grants and other public and private fundraising is ready to work with Columbia Parks and Recreation to break ground on the $5 million welcome center. All that is needed now is council approval, also following a public hearing. The construction authorization also includes a 52-space parking lot.

More: New Columbia Regional Airport master plan in preliminary stage as public provides input

The welcome center will have offices for CCUA and Columbia Farmers Market staff, along with an event space, catering and production kitchens and resource library, among other features.

If approved by the council, the project will go out for bids over the next couple of months, with an expected groundbreaking date either in the late summer or early fall. Construction is estimated to take 18 months, so the facility could open in late 2025 or early 2026.

"(CCUA) is an amazing organization. They put their mind to something and they make it happen," said Mike Snyder, Parks and Recreation park development superintendent at an open-house meeting in February. "It's kind of a three-way partnership with us, CCUA and Columbia Farmers Market. … The three organizations working together has made this one of the coolest facilities in the country."

More: Here's what people are saying about planned Columbia Agriculture Park welcome center

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia council to vote on airport, agriculture park construction