Increased business activity in airport area

By Jim Obert

Business Today

Drivers along Interstate-55 near Cape Girardeau Regional Airport might notice a flurry of activity taking place in the area.

Construction of the Pavestone plant, which began in November, is nearing completion on East I-55 Outer Road. The plant will manufacture landscaping and retaining wall blocks that will be shipped throughout the Midwest.

Tom Kelsey, broker for Lorimont Place Ltd., who has handled several transactions in the area, said Pavestone was founded in 1980 in Dallas, Texas, and has locations in 33 states. It has annual sales in excess of $100 million. The Cape plant will employ 40 workers.

"When the plant opens about 100 truck loads of finished product will be shipped daily," said Kelsey.

The plant is being built in an area owned by Seven Thirty Corp. There has been significant growth there in recent years.

Kelsey said most of the businesses there have been attracted by the high visibility of the location, easy access to the interstate and flexibility of the developer to sell land parcels according to the needs of the buyers.

Besides Pavestone, other companies located in this area include Electrical Contractors Inc., Sparks Auto, Delta Express, Mobile Home Supercenter, Falconite Inc. and Macke Equipment.

Kelsey said he recently handled two other sales. One is the sale of the former Quality Trailer property to an investment buyer who will lease the property to a tenant. The other is a 2.75-acre sale to a Cape business. Further information on that sale will be forthcoming.