For Release: Immediate Contact: Mark Wickersham
May 16, 2012 Phone: 260-356-5688
HCUED's Markle Industrial Park Receives Shovel Ready Designation
Huntington, Indiana --
The Markle Industrial Park, owned by Huntington County United Economic Development Corporation (HCUED), has received approval from the State of Indiana as a Shovel Ready Industrial Development Site. The announcement made by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) allows proposed economic development projects at the location to benefit from expedited consideration for regulatory permitting by the State of Indiana and assures the potential developer of an industrial site which has been thoroughly studied and prepared for development.
"Not only does our agency own the land, but we have also conducted the due-diligence required to make an industrial project successful," said Mark Wickersham, Executive Director of HCUED. "The Huntington County Council and the Huntington County Commissioners approved a grant request from our agency in 2011 to acquire the property. Their efforts, plus the new Shovel Ready designation from the State of Indiana, put the Markle Industrial Park in an elite category for easy development," he added.
The Indiana Shovel Ready program, administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) in cooperation with the IEDC, requires a thorough process of researching the subject properties to be certain they are appropriate for development. Among the numerous items of due-diligence include, environmental assessments, land surveys, geo-technical studies, title searches and a a variety of additional studies.
The Markle Industrial Park was also recognized in 2010 by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership as a Site Certified location under their program guidelines. The Town of Markle, in cooperation with the Huntington County Commissioners, Wells County Commissioners, and HCUED, is currently constructing a new water tower at the site. The tower is expected to be operational this summer.
"Huntington County Economic Development is working hard to prepare our County for future opportunities. The Markle Industrial Park, owned by our agency, is now among the best sites in Northeast Indiana," Wickersham concluded.
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