Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
MITCHELL – Under sunny skies, Mitchell and Lawrence County leaders celebrated the county’s first shell building with a groundbreaking Thursday morning at the Mitchell Industrial Park.
Construction of a new 50,000 square foot building suitable for a manufacturer will be built on a 14-acre parcel in the Mitchell Industrial Park at the intersection of Doc Hamilton Boulevard and Meridian Road.
Construction will begin in June with substantial completion expected in December.
The new building is a joint venture between the City of Mitchell and the Lawrence County Redevelopment Commission. The two government bodies have worked on the project for more than a year.
Mitchell contributed the parcel of land while the RDC will pay for the construction of the building. Construction of the building is estimated to cost $5.2 million.
Mitchell Mayor Don Caudell spoke at the ground breaking, calling it a “brick and mortar milestone” for the city.
“This is the result of collective planning, hard work and coordination,” Caudell said. “I’m thrilled today to stand alongside our partners who have contributed to this project. This partnership between the Lawrence County Redevelopment Commission, Lawrence County Growth Council, Radius Indiana and the City of Mitchell is an illustration of working together to achieve a common goal. The construction of this shell building is an investment in our community that will bring potential business and employment and act as a catalyst for future growth.
“As we break ground today, let’s celebrate not just the building but the spirit of our willingness to work together for our mutual benefit,” Caudell added. “Thank you all for making this happen today.”
The shell building will be the first of its kind for Mitchell and Lawrence County.
Shance Sizemore, CEO of the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council, said the original vision to construct a building for a potential tenant began in 2007. He said Lawrence County has a scarcity of large commercial and industrial space. The shell building, which can be built out to 200,000 square feet, opens the door to new development, he said.
“Since I’ve been here, one of my biggest struggles has been available property to sell to companies,” he said. “This is an opportunity for us to take that step and say, ‘If you’re ready to move in and need to be operational in six months, we can make that happen, we have a building for you here in Mitchell,” Sizemore said.
Shell buildings are one of the most frequently cited methods used by economic development agencies to attract new businesses to their communities. Businesses looking to start, expand, or relocate their production capacity typically prefer to save time in their process by moving into a building that is already substantially complete; shell buildings are often specifically mentioned as options for consideration when companies send out requests for proposals to search for business growth sites.
The shell building will be located in sight of Heidelberg Materials, the local cement plant, which recently announced it will receive up to $500 million in federal funds for a carbon capture project.
“The County Redevelopment Commission felt very strongly that the relationship of the Heidelberg plant to the Mitchell economy and history was a powerful reason to target Mitchell to receive this first major project to be funded through the Heidelberg TIF,” said RDC member Scott Smith, the former president of Lawrence County Council. “We know that Mitchell offers a good opportunity for companies to grow in.”
The building will have 32-foot ceilings and include four docks, one overhead door and electric utilities.
The building will be marketed by the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council. Construction is being managed by GM Development, an Indiana-based firm. Runnebohm Construction of Shelbyville is the contractor.