JACKSON BUYS INDUSTRIAL PARK LAND

JACKSON -- The city has bought 60 acres of agricultural land north of town for use as an industrial park.

The land, most of which is about half a mile northwest of U.S. 61 and Route D, is known as the old Jenkins property. Acquisition had taken the city some time due to the number of Jenkins heirs that had to be negotiated with.

The city paid in excess of $900,000 for the property, City Administrator Steve Wilson said. People in the industrial recruitment business say the tract is a prime site because of its proximity to Interstate 55.

The seven acres on the east side of U.S. 61 might be used for a park.

Wilson said Mayor Paul Sander has developed a steering committee for the industrial park that includes members of the Board of Aldermen, the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association and the Jackson Industrial Development Authority.

"They will be charged with bringing back a game plan for development," he said.

The Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association has considered putting a speculation building on the site, the city administrator said.

Some land leveling has to be completed, and water, sewer and electricity have to be run to the area before the site can be occupied. Wilson said the city might apply for a community development block grant to help pay for the infrastructure improvements.

The aldermen acted to execute the contract for the property and annexed the land into the city Monday night.

In other business, the board rezoned some property downtown to pave the way for Cape Girardeau County to build its proposed $6.5 million to S7 million criminal justice center adjacent to the existing county jail.

Parcels of land owned by the county were rezoned from general residential to central business district.

County Commissioner Max Stovall spoke for the rezoning at a public hearing, and no one spoke against it. Because of that, the board went ahead and voted on the rezoning.

Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones praised the board for its actions. "Things are happening because of the cooperative nature of your council, the commission and the Cape council," he said.

Jones said bidding for the center could occur in October and that the building could be finished within 1 1/2 years.