FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 5, 2021) –; Kentucky’s Build-Ready program continues to grow, and that also goes for the pad in one of its certified sites. The Build-Ready site in the Bluegrass Crossings Business Centre in Beaver Dam now offers the largest pad in the state’s program, positioning the location to attract more jobs and future growth from a prospective company.
Regional leaders recently completed the expansion of the pad to 320,000 square feet, more than doubling the original 150,000 square feet. The site initially received Build-Ready certification from the state in 2014 and was recertified this month in its expanded version. It stands among 16 available Build-Ready sites statewide ready for businesses that need to quickly establish a new location and begin construction immediately.
“Our Build-Ready program has grown throughout the state over the past several years, and I am thrilled to see leaders in Western Kentucky take the initiative to advance this site to a new level,” said Jeff Taylor, the cabinet’s commissioner for business development. “We know time is money for companies, and Kentucky stands ready to quickly accommodate businesses of any size. This expanded site highlights that preparedness. This represents another great step in securing our state’s long-term business prospects and for attracting new jobs that pay higher wages. Look for the Build-Ready program to continue creating new opportunities in the months and years ahead.”
The Bluegrass Crossings Build-Ready site includes access to water, sewer, natural gas, electric and broadband, as well as plans for a 75,000-square-foot spec building. The site is within the 1,000-plus-acre Bluegrass Crossings Business Centre and has protective covenants in place related to zoning.
“Bluegrass Crossings Business Centre is continually looking to improve our regional park site,” said Larry Mayfield, chairman of the Green River Regional Industrial Development Authority. “Prior projects have included extending our infrastructure to better serve the park residents and constructing the original 150,000-square-foot pad within the Build-Ready site. Today, we are happy to announce the expansion of our original pad to 320,000 square feet, making it the largest Build-Ready site pad in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We will continue to look to improve Bluegrass Crossings Business Centre to position it for future success.”
Located in Western Kentucky at the intersection of Interstate Highway 165 and the Wendell Ford Parkway, Bluegrass Crossings Business Centre, is a 1,000-plus-acre regional park developed and supported by Daviess, Hancock, McLean, Muhlenberg and Ohio counties through the Green River Regional Industrial Development Authority.
Achieving Build-Ready certification means a site includes a pad ready to accommodate a building of 100,000 square feet or more –; and utilities extending to the site’s edge. It also means the applicant –; usually a city, county or economic development group –; has filed the necessary permits, including water, environmental and geotechnical, as well as preliminary building plans, cost estimates and schedule projections. Applications must include a rendering of a potential building for the site.
To date, four former Build-Ready-certified sites in Graves, Laurel, Warren and Washington counties have been selected by companies for new location projects, as the program has proven effective at getting companies online in a quick, cost-efficient manner.
In addition to the upgraded Bluegrass Crossings site, Kentucky’s 15 other Build-Ready sites include tracts in the Highland Glen Industrial Park in Glasgow, the 4 Star Regional Industrial Park in Henderson, the Shelton Lane Industrial Park in Russellville, Progress Park in Horse Cave, Paradise Regional Business Park in Greenville, Commerce Industrial Park in Hopkinsville, Heartland Commerce and Technology Park in Campbellsville, EastPark in Ashland, Princeton Industrial Park in Princeton, the Woodland Industrial Park in Mount Sterling, Harlan County Business Park in Cumberland, Lake Cumberland Regional Industrial Complex in Russell Springs, Interstate 24 Business Park in Cadiz, the Kentucky Transpark in Bowling Green and the recently announced site in the John H. Stigall Business Center in Danville.
Developers representing a number of other sites across the state continue to work toward certification.
More information on the Bluegrass Crossings Build-Ready site is available here. Search for other Build-Ready sites in Kentucky here.
To learn more about the Build-Ready program, visit https://ced.ky.gov/selectkentucky/buildready/.
A detailed community profile for Ohio County can be viewed here.