River Ridge Development Authority Approves Measures to Spur Additional Development

JEFFERSONVILLE (June 16, 2020) – The River Ridge Development Authority on Monday approved more than $500,000 in investments for infrastructure projects and equipment to support ongoing development at the River Ridge Commerce Center.

The RRDA board also approved a resolution to allow River Ridge Executive Director Jerry Acy to negotiate a lease agreement with an unnamed firm to assist in development of the north end of the commerce center in Charlestown. The development group would lease some facilities owned by River Ridge to help facilitate new investments and job growth.

River Ridge has in recent months made significant investments in planning, site work and construction of roads and utilities to support expansion in the north end of the River Ridge Commerce Center.

“This deal would help us jump start development in the Charlestown section of the business park,” Acy said. “We have seen significant job creation and investment in the south end of the park in Jeffersonville, and there are hundreds of acres of property on the north end where we expect similar growth.”

River Ridge already supports more than 60 companies employing more than 10,000 workers and has become one of the largest economic-development magnets for the Louisville-Southern Indiana region.

The list of investments approved by the RRDA included:

• A $318,665 contract with Clark Nickles Inc. for sanitary sewer improvements to serve the planned Gateway Office Park area. The contract includes the installation of 1,480 feet of 12-inch and 8-inch sanitary sewer.
• A $169,767 contract with Excel Excavating Inc. for the River Ridge Parkway Water Main Extension project, which includes the construction of approximately 1,100 feet of 16-inch PVC water main.
• A $92,611 contract with Wooldridge Homes for abatement and removal of seven dilapidated structures as part of the Phase IV demolition project.
• A $72,000 purchase of a Case 580SN backhoe from Wilson Equipment Co. to perform water and site work.

“More than two-thirds of our 6,000-acre park remains undeveloped, but these investments will allow us to make sites available that will become homes for new businesses,” Acy said. “We anticipate continued investments for decades to come that will attract tens of thousands of new jobs and millions of additional tax revenue for the state and communities that support River Ridge.”