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The following is a press release from Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel's office.
September 7, 2005 update by Fred Padget
As you probably all ready know, Evansville Mayor Jonathan
Weinzapfel recently announced plans to proceed with a Center City Industrial
Park. This approximate 141 acre industrial park will be midway between the Lloyd
and Diamond Avenue and bordering on Pigeon Creek to the west and Fulton Avenue
to the east. It is completely within the WIA boundaries. There are a total of
286 parcels of which 105 contain no improvements and represent about 39 acres.
87 of the remaining parcels are vacant. Current zoning is mostly Industrial at
97 acres with Residential being about 16 acres and Commercial a little less than
two acres. Much of the residential housing condition is rated as below average
by the County Assessor.
The goals and objectives of the park are to:
- Create jobs and replace lost manufacturing jobs
- Retain and expand existing industry
- Attract new industry and private investment
- Increase the tax base
- Provide end-users with clear, ready to go sites for
industrial development
- Provide an alternative to greenspace development,
encourage industry to locate in urban areas and enhance smart growth
opportunities
- Allow for the redevelopment and reuse of numerous
brownfields
- Assist in the revitalization of a blighted neighborhood.
Many things have to take place before this project can begin
including designation of the area as a Redevelopment Area, performance of
environmental assessments and remediation if required, gain appropriate zoning
and establish a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district along with other actions.
Some of the advantages for this site are:
- Access to railroad corridor
- Improvements to Fulton Avenue, the main north-south
thoroughfare through the site
- Proximity to the Lloyd Expressway – approximately 3/4
mile south
- Fulton/Lloyd interchange to undergo major improvement in
the near future
- Proximity to Diamond Avenue (3/4 mile north), which is
currently undergoing major improvements
- Proposed extension of the Pigeon Creek Greenway to run
along the western border of the park along Pigeon Creek
- Ability to meet the demand for industrial sites within
the City limits
- Majority of the site is located within the Enterprise
Zone.
We’ll continue to watch this project and keep you informed.
AUGUST 18, 2005
Concept, History and Public Input
In March 2005 the City of Evansville announced a proposal to develop a 140-acre
Center City Industrial Park along the railroad corridor situated midway between
the Lloyd Expressway and Diamond Avenue, between Pigeon Creek and Fulton Avenue.
The area was highly industrialized in the late 1800’s, but today has numerous
vacant industrial and residential properties. Pockets of residential properties
exist among the industrial uses and many residential properties have substandard
housing units creating major concerns for both residents and industries.
Coinciding with the announcement, a fiscal year 2006 federal appropriations
request for $3 million was presented for acquisition, demolition, environmental
assessments, necessary environmental abatement/remediation and site preparation
for industrial development.
In April 2005, three public meetings were held to propose the idea of a center
city industrial park in Pigeon Township and get feedback and public input. A
total of nearly 200 people attended the public meetings. During and after the
meetings, many neighboring property owners and residents expressed interest in
the project. Therefore, information packets were mailed to property owners both
inside the proposed boundaries of the park and one block north and south of the
proposed park. The packets included 1) a zoning and use map of the area, 2)
statistics of the area and 3) a bullet point summary outlining the area, goals
and objectives of the park and advantages of the site.
Next, on May 16, 2005, a survey was mailed to owners of property within the
proposed boundaries of the park to measure support for the idea. Adjacent
property owners were sent surveys on June 7, 2005.
The Park will spur economic development and job growth in the City, Southwestern
Indiana and the State of Indiana. The Park will convert brownfield properties
into usable industrial park space. A brownfield is an industrial or commercial
property that is abandoned, inactive or underutilized, on which expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated due to actual or perceived
environmental contamination. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties
reduces development pressures on undeveloped greenfields and improves and
protects the environment.
Goals and Objectives of the Park
• Create jobs and replace lost manufacturing jobs
• Retain and expand existing industry
• Attract new industry and private investment
• Increase the tax base
• Provide end-users with clear, ready to go sites for industrial development
• Provide an alternative to greenspace development, encourage industry to locate
in urban areas and enhance smart growth opportunities
• Allow for the redevelopment and reuse of numerous brownfields
• Assist in the revitalization of a blighted neighborhood
Advantages of the Site for a Center City Industrial Park
• Access to railroad corridor
• Improvements to Fulton Avenue, the main north-south thoroughfare through the
site
• Proximity to the Lloyd Expressway – approximately 3/4 mile south
• Fulton/Lloyd interchange to undergo major improvement in the near future
• Proximity to Diamond Avenue (3/4 mile north), which is currently undergoing
major improvements
• Proposed extension of the Pigeon Creek Greenway to run along the western
border of the park along Pigeon Creek
• Ability to meet the demand for industrial sites within the City limits
• Majority of the site is located within the Enterprise Zone
Action Plan
In an effort to proactively prepare for needs and demands of the community and
revitalize a blighted area, the City of Evansville plans to take the following
actions:
• By and through its Redevelopment Commission, designate the area as a
Redevelopment Area and adopt a Redevelopment Plan for the area pursuant to
Indiana Code 36-7-14
• Acquire, clear and conduct environmental assessment and remediation/abatement
of sites
• Assemble and offer sites for development
• Provide appropriate zoning for an industrial park
• Establish a TIF area to pay for infrastructure improvements
• Market the Park and support economic development and job creation activities
by working closely with Vision-e, EUEA and other regional economic development
organizations
Conclusion
The Center City Industrial Park will have an immediate impact on the economic
well being of the Southwestern Indiana region. The assemblage, remediation and
clearance of industrial sites will encourage private capital investment in the
Park, strengthening the economic future of the region.
The results of the survey of property owners in and around the proposed
industrial park support proceeding with the development of a center city
industrial park.
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