Wednesday, June 07, 2006

The Greater Paducah Economic Development Corporation is acquiring options on nearly 1,000 acres of western McCracken County land that is under consideration for a large industrial development.

Representatives of an unidentified company were in Paducah on Tuesday, GPEDC President David Denton said.

The acreage is bounded by Noble Road, Bobo Road and the Ohio River, and'is some of the same property considered 10 years ago for a large grain processing plant that ultimately went to Indiana.

Details are sketchy. Denton said the name of the company was not revealed to local officials, and they didn't know whether a manufacturing plant or some
type of commercial development was involved.

"Paducah and McCracken County is being looked at by a very serious prospect," Denton said. "There are several sites in the United States that are under consideration. Weare on the short list, and to get on the shorter list we must prove that we have control of the property" by either owning it or having it under option.

McCracken County Judge-Executive Danny Orazine described the situation as very confidential.

The site centers around 206 acres that the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority recently acquired from Paducah Water. It is described as the last piece of McCracken County property along the Ohio River that can be developed for industry.
In addition to having river access, some of the property being optioned is along the Canadian National Railroad tracks, a major north-south line with connections to east-west lines.

The land under consideration includes about 200 acres owned by Julian Harris, who operates a U-pick farm on Noble Road. Asked if the GPEDC had obtained an option for his property, Harris said, "I'm not supposed to talk about it." He also said he knew little about what was being considered.

Another property owner who signed an option with GPEDC said a confidentiality agreement forbids him from revealing details. He said he wasn't told what was under consideration.
Denton said he didn't know the company's timetable. Asked how many jobs could be created, Denton said it would be "what I would call substantial. "

The land options are for one year, the property owner said.

When the Paducah Water property was acquired two months ago, the riverport authority also said it would purchase 31 acres on Noble Road, providing access to the riverfront property, from Ellis Development Co.

Ellis purchased the land in 2000 from the McElya family, according to real estate records.

Paducah Water purchased the 206 acres in 1976 as a potential site for a water treatment plant that eventually was built on North 8th Street. Most of the land is in the floodplain.