Thirteen Indiana sites score state designation for speedier development

[quote style=”boxed” float=”right”] “This can expedite the decision for a company in regards to locating here. Additionally the State of Indiana can now say ‘here is this site in Huntingburg’ when speaking to prospective businesses.” Airport Manager Travis McQueen[/quote]

Thirteen sites across Indiana earned the title of ‘shovel ready’ today, paving the way for businesses to quickly locate new operations on property ready for development.

According to Airport Manager Travis McQueen this puts the Huntingburg Airport on a short list for companies interested in opening a business in Indiana. “Now I can call businesses we have had conversations with and they can revisit the idea of moving into a position concerning the airport as a site for expansion.”

“This can expedite the decision for a company in regards to locating here. Additionally the State of Indiana can now say ‘here is this site in Huntingburg’ when speaking to prospective businesses McQueen said.

The Huntingburg Airport is aggressively marketing the site towards aeronautical businesses and is also interested in Department of Defense companies that would be interested in working in proximity to Crane Naval Base.

The thirteen new sites located in Dubois, Fulton, Gibson, Greene, Johnson, Monroe, Shelby, Steuben, Vanderburgh, Wabash, Wayne, White and Whitley counties join the list of 80 other ‘shovel ready’ sites identified by the state since 2006 that have undergone extensive title work, proof of ownership, legal and environmental review and qualify for expedited permitting with state regulatory agencies.

[box]”More and more companies are increasingly looking for sites where they can have a shovel in the ground as quickly as possible,” said Dan Hasler, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “We know that time is valuable and this program is a vital tool in giving Indiana the advantage of attracting competitive investment.”[/box]

This summer, North American Lighting announced it would build a new injection molds facility in Warrick County’s ‘shovel ready’ North Warrick Industrial Park, creating more than 40 new jobs, and Naturally Recycled Proteins announced it would build two new facilities at the Montpelier Industrial Park ‘shovel ready’ site in Blackford County, creating up to 68 new jobs. Also, earlier this year, Nanshan America announced it would establish an aluminum extrusions manufacturing facility in Park 350, a ‘shovel ready’ site in Lafayette, creating up to 150 new jobs.

Passed in the 2005 legislative session as part of Governor Daniels’ jobs agenda, ‘shovel ready’ sites are certified by the state’s Fast Access Site Team that consists of representatives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, governor’s office, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the Indiana State Department of Homeland Security.

Certified sites have been eligible for matching grants to assist with eligible costs associated with applying for the shovel ready program. These sites are listed on the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s Site and Building Database at at http://statein.zoomprospector.com/. This online resource allows site selection consultants and businesses to research available commercial and industrial properties that are available for quick development and investment.

The most recent shovel ready sites receiving certification are: