As south Georgia's busiest airport prepares for growth, areas around it are preparing to be demolished.

A 2011 state-funded study says the airport has a $55,000,000 annual impact on the region, and it's one leaders hope to expand.

"They are in bad shape, roof leaks, just old hangars," said Transportation Director David Hamilton.

It took just two days to rip the old hangar on the north end down. The former UPS hangar on south end will be demolished next.

"These hangars were more of an eyesore than anything. They were beyond repair, there was a need for them to come down," said Hamilton.

The hangars were eyesores that Hamilton said took away from the modern, Southwest Georgia Regional Airport terminal built in 2014.

In the north hangar's spot there will be a brand new Fixed Base Operation building.

"We are preparing it for a new general aviation terminal we hope we can build in the next couple years," said Hamilton.

The hangar attached to the current FBO will also eventually be taken down in its place. A much larger hangar will store more planes.

"General aviation is very important to this airport, a lot of planes come in and out of here throughout the day, so having a FBO here to manage that is very important to the airport," said Hamilton.

The project isn't the only one in the works to increase the economic impact of the airport.

"We have 85 acres on the south end of the airport we are trying to get certification for so we can market that land as well," said Hamilton.

The land, when properly prepared, will be ready to welcome a new business.

Until then, it's tearing out the old to usher in the new and the improved.

The demolition work at the airport should be complete by August 1.

Construction on a new General Aviation building, which will cost $2.3 million, is hoped to begin sometime in Fiscal Year 2018.