Fithian, Ill., site still on the market

June 30, 2006

Commercial-News, Danville, Ill. The Greensburg Daily News Fri Jun 30, 2006, 08:14 AM EDT

With all the vast farmland in Vermilion County, it’s difficult to believe there aren’t plenty of prime spots for economic development.

However, Vicki Haugen, president and CEO of Vermilion Advantage, said much of the land doesn’t have the utility infrastructure in place needed for a large-scale project.

Right now, Haugen is dealing with six prospective projects interested in sites with 1,000 or more acres. By comparison, the former General Motors site is only 60 acres.

“As far as we know, nothing is final,” she said of the six projects, adding she will inform them the Fithian site is still available.

The 2,000-acre parcel southwest of Fithian that Honda considered is nearly perfect in terms of economic development.

“The plan is to get together with the land owners and keep it intact for a while,” she said of the parcel.

Haugen also said she will meet with state officials to devise a “strategic plan” for the site.

“What a tremendous site it is. The benefit of the site is its access,” she said.

Fithian Mayor Lorin Kinney Jr. said he was hopeful the site would be developed someday, even if it took a while.

“A lot of people had their hopes up,” he said of the Honda project.

“I think it would be a benefit to the community,” he said. “The pros outweigh the cons.”

The parcel’s strengths include access to Interstate 74, dual rail opportunities with the CSX and Norfolk Southern, electrical transmission and two natural gas pipelines within three miles, proximity to University of Illinois’ engineering and research, a large labor pool in a 60-mile radius and technical training at Danville Area Community College and Parkland College.

The Fithian site still faces some challenges, although Haugen said they are not insurmountable.

The Danville Sanitary District would need to run about 22 miles of sewer line; Aqua Illinois would need to run 12-15 miles of water line; and CSX would need to lay about 13 miles of track to connect to the Hillery yard.

But with more and more economic development projects requiring large tracts of land, Haugen said she is going to make sure that projects interested in the Fithian site are significant.

“You wouldn’t just put anything out there,” she said.

To view or comment on this or any other stories please visit our website at www.greensburgdailynews.com.

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