The U.S. Army has retained 1,132 acres of the 6,000 acres that eventually will be the extent of River Ridge Commerce Center. The Southern Indiana business park is being developed on the site of a former Army ammunition plant.
As of Tuesday, the Army’s ownership share was drastically reduced.
The River Ridge Development Authority board of directors, the governing body that operates the business park, voted Tuesday afternoon to accept ownership of four parcels, totaling about 844 acres of undeveloped land, from the Army.
That leaves the Army in ownership of one northern parcel near Charlestown of about 289 acres, which River Ridge executive director Jerry Acy projected could be transferred by the middle of 2016.
The bulk of the property being transferred by the Army is on the southern side of the development in Jeffersonville near Ind. 62, where most of the business development has occurred so far.
Of the 6,000 acres, about 5,200 acres are available to purchase for development or will be in the future, said Mark Robinson, president of the River Ridge board. The other 800 acres either have been purchased or are under negotiation for sale to private developers.
About 654 acres of the transferred land is in parcels G5 and G6, which Acy said already is gaining interest from potential buyers.
The other large parcel, at about 145 acres, is on the north side of River Ridge near Charlestown. Acy said it likely will take longer to develop that parcel because it houses several old Army facilities that eventually will be razed.
Robinson said the deed transfer has been “years in the making” as some Indiana lawmakers intervened in the negotiations with the Army on River Ridge’s behalf.
Much of the legal wrangling has centered around operation of the 45-acre landfill inside the park, which also is being transferred by the Army to the River Ridge Development Authority.
According to the terms of the resolution adopted Tuesday, the Army will remain responsible for the maintenance of the landfill, such as mowing.
The resolution also states that River Ridge is not legally liable for any potential cleanup costs, property damage or personal injury from the release of hazardous substances at the landfill unless caused by reckless conduct of River Ridge officials. Cleanup would be the Army’s responsibility.
Acy has said River Ridge eventually could be home to 40,000 jobs, with full build-out projected in the next 10 to 15 years.
Marty Finley covers economic development, commercial real estate, government, education and sports business.
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