Wednesday, November 28th, 2018
Marion Industrial Park to expand
Local investors buy 80 acres
By Tom Stankard
Photo by Ryan Snyder/The Daily Standard
Outlined in blue is the 80-acre property acquired by Marion Community Land Development LLC. At right is the existing Marion Industrial Park. The group plans to expand the park onto the land.
CHICKASAW - Twenty-three local residents have come together to acquire land to expand the Marion Industrial Park.
The group is known as the Marion Community Land Development LLC, member Dan Heitkamp said. Organizers began working on a plan about a year ago to acquire additional space because the park was running out of room.
They reached out to as many potential investors as possible, he recalled, and came up with a list of about 20 people who were interested in proceeding.
Members pinpointed an 80-acre property directly north of the roughly 50-acre park, which contains more than 20 businesses ranging from a day care to a brewery and a welding company.
The group purchased the large property for $1.5 million from P & C Schmitmeyer Farms LLC near Chickasaw about two weeks ago, Heitkamp said. The land is divided nearly in the middle by a creek.
Although lot sizes and locations are not finalized, Heitkamp said several businesses have already expressed interest. The group plans to develop the roughly 40 acres on the west side of the waterway first, he noted.
Marion Community Development Organization Director Jim Keller has been attending the group's meetings and said "this is wonderful for the community."
Mercer County Community Development Director Jarred Ebbing said he has been helping the group along the way and hopes "this expansion can replicate the past success of the current industrial park."
"This will create more opportunity for people to stay and work in the area," he added. "It's all good stuff in the community."
Ebbing said he is looking to into acquiring grants and other incentives to help get utilities and roadways installed and "get this rolling."
