(Spencer)– Ground was broken Wednesday on the Green Industrial Park on the southeast side of Spencer.
Kathy Evert, President of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, says it’s a joint venture between the city of Spencer and Spencer Municipal Utilities.
Evert says the 200 acre park was named after the former owner of the land. She says it’s being developed as one of the first green industrial properties, focusing on low impact development and the “LEED” building design, Leadership And Energy Efficiency Design on buildings.
Evert says they’re targeting companies that manufacture wind and solar energy equipment to the site. She says the Corridor has already been actively marketing the sites in the park.
The city of Spencer was successful in landing a RISE grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation earlier this year that will fund a portion of a project to extend a street to the site, which is served by the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad.
Evert says the total estimated investment in the park is expected to be over three and-a-half million dollars.
She says city crews are now working to make the park “shovel ready” by putting in the necessary infrastructure.
