Commerce Park receives Indiana Site Certified Prime Designation
Officials from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), the Rushville Redevelopment Commission and the City of Rushville announced the Commerce Park at Rushville was designated Indiana Site Certified Prime.
“We are honored to receive the ‘Prime Shovel Ready Certification’ from the State of Indiana,” Mayor Mike Pavey said. “The Commerce Park at Rushville is recognized at the highest level established for industrial development sites in the state.”
The 288 acre site is key in demonstrating the industrial park’s logistical advantages, and is owned and optioned by the Rushville Redevelopment Commission and is zoned for heavy manufacturing.
“The availability of project-ready sites is critical to attracting new investment to rural Indiana and spurring economic growth,” Executive Director of OCRA Jodi Golden said. “Today’s economic development projects move at a swift pace and require sites be developed quickly. I want to congratulate the leadership and local partners of the Commerce Park at Rushville on receiving the prime designation.”
The city has invested millions of dollars in recent years with an initial acreage purchase under former Mayor Bob Bridges. In 2012, the city was awarded a $1.77 million grant from United States Economic Development Administration. Under Mayor Pavey’s leadership, the grant was matched with $1.77 million in local funds to develop the park to be shovel and backhoe ready.
“With less than 10 Prime Certified sites in the state, this provides an immediate advantage to our community,” Executive Director of the Rush County Economic and Development Corporation John McCane said. “The prime designation sets us apart from most communities around the state, and it will show site consultants and industries looking to expand that Rushville has one of the best sites for immediate development.”
The Indiana Site Certified Program validates sites that are ready for economic development. The program is administered by OCRA in partnership with the states Fast Access Site Team, which is comprised of multiple state agencies.
These agencies include the Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.
The Indiana Site Certified Program divides industrial sites into Silver, Gold and Prime designations. The Commerce Park received Prime designation, which is the program’s top tier.
Receiving an Indiana Site Certified Prime designation means a site has/is:
- 30 contiguous acres
- At least 2.5 miles from a State Highway
- Properly zoned
- Geo tech studied
- No recs or site clear
- An archaeological investigation
- The utility to property line or future build located in public right of way
- LUG, LEDO or REDO must own property or have agreement with property owner