One sign of economic growth is when an industrial or business park gets filled with businesses.
The Platteville Industry Park is close to being filled, with Emmi Roth USA’s locating in the plant in 2013, bringing with it 30 jobs.
The Platteville Area Industrial Development Corp. broke ground earlier this summer on a 39-acre expansion of the industry park west of East Side Road, across the street from Emmi Roth and First Supply. The land was formerly owned by James Rosemeyer of Platteville and his three sisters.
As a result, the industry park now offers more than 50 acres of available land, with lots of smaller than 2 acres to up to 22 acres.
PAIDC executive director Ela Kakde said the expansion “allows PAIDC to continue to position Platteville as an attractive place to locate a business. … The boundaries are already within one of the city’s Tax incremental Financing districts, making it an excellent opportunity for the City of Platteville.”
The Common Council in 2012 approved up to $1.4 million to be used for land acquisition for the industry park. Former PAIDC director Melissa Pahl negotiated the agreement with the Rosemeyers.
In addition to the purchase price, another $1.6 million in infrastructure improvements are being made, with most of the work expected to be completed by February. An $800,000 federal Economic Development Administration matching grant is paying for half of the infrastructure costs. The grant is the fourth EDA grant the city has received in the past five years.
“The EDA was eager to award the monies to a community that has demonstrated consistency in growing at a rapid pace,” said Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission economic development manager Ed White. “Moreover, given the short turn around period of the grant application, the EDA remarked that it was one of the most thorough applications they received, making their approval process much simpler.”
“The Emmi development, which was supported by an EDA grant to construct the infrastructure, included a regional storm water pond,” said Director of Public Works Howard Crofoot. “The pond saved Emmi Roth in land that they did not need to purchase for its own pond, plus it saved them development costs. By installing infrastructure and expanding the current pond, we want to position Platteville for the next large employer.”
The storm water pond, designed by Delta 3 Engineering of Platteville, is designed to handle stormwater overflow into an additional overflow pond so the temperature of the discharged water will not affect the growing trout habitat into Rountree Branch.
The industrial park is being marketed on a video on PAIDC’s website, on YouTube, and on the Locate Wisconsin website. Some businesses have already inquired about the new industrial park.
“Our proximity to Dubuque makes our location on the [U.S.] 151 four-lane attractive,” said Kakde. “We offer small town living with connection to big city amenities and the ease of quick access transportation.”
“This is the direction that we want to keep moving in, in terms of supporting the land infrastructure needs of businesses to come to Platteville,” said Common Council president Eileen Nickels.
