Ash Grove goes extra mile for development: Land entices area business

Ash Grove has a simple business philosophy: If a company will bring industry and jobs to town, the city will supply the land free of charge.

In an effort to gain more industrial business, the city of Ash Grove has an open invitation to any business wanting to move to the industrial park.

"If you can make application, or let us know what you need the size of the building and how many people you are going to employ we will kind of donate the land sufficient for your size," said Ash Grove Mayor Glen Gardner.

The city has owned the property at Frazier Road and Industrial Drive since 1991. An original 84 acres has dwindled to 10 acres still available for development.

With little invested in the property, donation of the land benefits the city by increasing employment opportunities and property and sales tax revenue, Gardner said.

Top Shelf Systems Inc. is the newest benefactor, receiving a nearly one-acre corner lot for $10. The company, which develops point-of-sale software for hardware stores and lumber yards, plans to move in by July 1.

Businesses building in the industrial park sign a contract with the city to have their business built within a year. If this timeline is not met, the property must be deeded back to the city or purchased. Acreage can be negotiated to meet the company's development plan, Garner added.

Of the remaining 10 acres, valued at $12,000 an acre, Gardner said only three acres offer road frontage. Lots can accommodate buildings as large 20,000 square feet, Gardner said.

"We would kind of carve it up to suit someone if they were a serious business that we wanted here," Gardner said.

History

Over the past 11 years, the industrial park has been slow to develop. Even though the land has been listed on the Missouri Department of Economic Development Web site for years, Gardner said the city has received few serious inquiries.

One problem the town faces is its size. Being located 18 miles from Springfield with a population of less than 1,500 residents, companies are often detoured from looking at Ash Grove. Gardner admitted that some companies may even be too big for the town.

"We couldn't handle anything that would probably go into one of Springfield's industrial parks, but we would like to get at least three more industries," Gardner said.

In 1994, 59 acres were sold to a private land owner. That same year the city received a $73,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Department of Economic Develop-ment. This grant was designed to help build the industrial park's infrastructure, which included streets, and water and sewer connections.

Ash Grove Ready Mix & Materials Inc. received the first land donation of 14 acres in 1994. Since that time, Good Horsekeeping, owned by Ray Drennan, has acquired two acres and recently acquired an additional acre to build Aqua Med Inc., a company specializing in above-ground water treadmills for hospitals and medical facilities.

Aqua Med plans to start construction on a 6,000-square-foot building by next month. Aqua Med Inc. is owned by Shon Drennan and several other investors. The patented design places a treadmill in a water tank in a Jacuzzi, taking less space than traditional swimming pool therapy systems.

The company's first machine has already been sold to Valley View Hospital in Ada, Okla. The treadmills typically sell for $15,000 to $25,000. Aqua Med plans to add 15 to 20 more employees at the new location.