Best of luck to Jackson on new spec building

Southeast Missouri has a thriving business community, and local leaders are constantly looking for ways to attract even more businesses to the area.

To that end, the Jackson Industrial Development Co. recently unveiled its new speculative building on Industrial Lane in Jackson. The 50,000-square-foot building has public water, sewer and electricity, 44 planned parking spaces and a 39-foot-tall ceiling in the center.

Business leaders are hoping investors will see opportunity in this building as they have with two previous buildings. Both the American Railcar Industries and Midwest Sterilization facilities in the Jackson Industrial Park started as spec buildings.

Spec buildings begin life as bare-bones structures, but can be customized by the businesses that eventually occupy them. Doors and lighting are kept to a minimum because, as Jackson Alderman Phil Penzel said, "wherever we put 'em, they'd be wrong."

Continually drawing in new businesses means there will be more jobs, which lead to population and economic growth. It's exciting to keep an eye on our communities' future, knowing these types of opportunities are available. We look forward to welcoming our newest neighbors to Jackson's new spec building.