Jackson considering industrial park building

Business Today

In an effort to entice big industries, the city of Jackson and the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association may erect the first building in Jackson's industrial park.

A joint committee of Jackson aldermen, members of the Jackson Industrial Development Company, bank executives, and associates of Cape Girardeau's Industrial Development Authority will determine whether such a building is feasible at the park on U.S. 61, near the Fruitland interstate interchange.

The team will likely make a decision by early spring, with the possibility of a groundbreaking shortly thereafter.

Currently, there are no buildings at the industrial park, but the city now has electricity, water and sewer available there.

Should the building come to fruition, it will be paid for by the association. The city will donate the land.

The building "will plant a seed, create something where another industry can come in and set up operations in without a lot of planning," said Jackson Chamber of Commerce executive director Ken Parrett.

The association built a similar building on Nash Road in Cape Girardeau and sold it to Penzel & Co., which now leases the building to Spartech, which employs 115 workers.