For Release: Immediate January 6, 2010
Contact: Mark Wickersham
(260) 356-5688
mark@hcued.com
HCUED Secures Option for Industrial Park, Certifies Site with Northeast Regional Partnership
Fort Wayne, Indiana –
The Huntington County United Economic Development Corporation (HCUED) announced today that it has secured the option to develop nearly 33 acres at the Markle Industrial Park, Markle, Indiana. The announcement came as the Northeast Regional Partnership (Regional Partnership) unveiled their new Northeast Indiana Site Certification Program. HCUED Executive Director, Mark Wickersham, along with HCUED Board Members Jeff Souder (President), Greg Smitley (Vice President) and Tom Wall (Commissioners’ Board Member) joined officials from the Regional Partnership in Fort Wayne today for the announcement and recognition.
“What this means for Huntington County and the Town of Markle, is that if a manufacturer would like to locate a new facility on the interstate in Huntington County, we now have control of 33 acres at a location which is ready to build on,” said Mark Wickersham, HCUED Executive Director. “HCUED can negotiate the development as though we own the property,” he added.
The option agreement now held by HCUED, establishes that the land is indeed for sale, and that HCUED has direct authority to negotiate the purchase of that acreage and can do so as though HCUED is the owner of the parcel. In addition, the Regional Partnership Site Certification program demonstrates that all due diligence has been conducted in advance on behalf of potential manufacturers. There were fifteen standards required to be completed in order to qualify for certification. Among those, in addition to securing the option to purchase the real estate were the completion of a boundary survey, phase I environmental study, geo-technical studies, appropriate zoning, utility infrastructure, wetlands and flood plain determinations and a variety of other reviews which are vital to the process of developing an industrial site.
The Markle Industrial Park is located at I-69 Exit 86 at the intersection of US 224, at Markle, Indiana. Ten Counties in Northeast Indiana are members of the Regional Partnership and eligible to participate in the Site Certification Program. Huntington County joined only three other counties who successfully completed the process during the initial round of sites which were announced.
“I want to thank the HCUED Board, the Board of Commissioners for Huntington County, the Town of Markle, and the property owners for their cooperation in placing Huntington County in a very competitive position to attract new industry to our area,” said Mark Wickersham, HCUED Executive Director.
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