Partnership Industrial Center breaks even

Karl Plumpe, City Utilities’ associate general manager for economic development, conveyed the good news to Springfield City Council at its Aug. 22 meeting.

“All indications are that we’ll break even and hopefully have a slight excess of funds come February, relative to reimbursing the city and City Utilities for the infrastructure costs,” Plumpe told Council.

Plumpe said 65 percent returns to CU coffers and 35 percent goes to the city.

As reported in SBJ’s July 11 issue, the last unclaimed lot was sold to Springfield Striping & Sealing. Owner Joe Manzardo hopes to be in a new facility by March.

PIC tenants Diesel Exchange and Watts Radiant have options on the other two unoccupied lots in the 340-acre, 12-year-old industrial center. The Partnership Industrial Center Administrative Council originally anticipated the build-out taking 12 to 16 years.

Mayor Tom Carlson credits the park for helping Springfield produce 25 percent of the state’s new jobs in 2004, despite having just 3 percent of the state’s population.

“This is one example of what can happen when there’s a gap between what the private sector is unwilling to do and what the public sector is not competent to do,” he said.

“When you bring the two together, you’re able to do something for the community that wouldn’t get done otherwise.”

New terminal

Other Council business provided money that allows airport planners to keep moving on plans for Springfield Branson Regional Airport’s new terminal. Council accepted a $4 million Federal Aviation Administration grant to help fund the second phase of the terminal’s architectural and engineering designs.

The grant, to be matched with up to $250,000 in airport revenue, was approved at the meeting after Council declared an emergency.

Director of Aviation Gary Cyr said the money will be used for the construction document phase, which will bring the project to the point where bids can be made and construction can begin, assuming funding is secured for the building.

“You don’t build a house until you have all the plans for it. You start out with ‘here’s what it looks like,’ and then you get into the cost factors for the rafters and the floor and the walls,” Cyr said. “Now we’ll be able to bid that out for construction.”

Phase I, already completed at $4.5 million, included schematic designs as well as the grading, drainage and utilities needed for the new facility.

Phase II is expected to cost $4.25 million. Cyr said “an optimistic estimate” for terminal completion would be in 2009. That depends on federal funding coming through as expected.

Airport officials say airport revenues and federal funds would pay for the approximately $180 million expansion.

[[In-content Ad]]