JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) — The long-standing disagreement over land in Jeffersonville has finally come to an end after several years of negotiations over environmental issues.
“It just took time to come to an agreement and a compromise,” said Colonel Christopher Beck of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District.
The United States Army agreed to hand over the land that was once an Indiana Army ammunition plant.
The plant closed in 1992 and has been a highly sought after location ever since. The Army transferred 11,000 acres to the River Ridge Development Authority but couldn’t let go of all of it.
“A lot of questions had to be answered obviously with the environmental impacts and we were able to work through those to transfer it smoothly,” said Colonel Beck.
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly used his federal connections to help make this transfer possible. From the pentagon to state officials, Donnelly made it his job to see this project through.
“We all bumped heads with each other a little bit, and came to a conclusion,” said Senator Donnelly.
Now that River Ridge has the land, the next big question is what businesses will join the company of Amazon’s Fulfillment Center at the commerce center.
River Ridge won’t name any companies or reveal any pending purchases, but says the land brings significant new businesses and jobs to southeast Indiana.
The Army still owns about 300 acres of the land, but the plan is to have it transferred to River Ridge by this time next year.
Marty Finley covers economic development, commercial real estate, government, education and sports business.
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