Knox City Council Receives Updates on SCEDF Projects

Charles Weaver
Charles Weaver
The Knox City Council this week received an update on the projects being undertaken by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation from CharlesWeaver and Bill Sonnemaker. Weaver explained that the County Road 300 East rebuild project is moving along smoothly, and they are just about finished on land purchases.

Weaver explained that it doesn’t appear that the project will require any imminent domain acquirements, and they are now on track for a Feb. 14 project bid letting. Hopefully, Weaver said, this project will be done during the construction season in 2014.

The project consists of improvements to County Road 300 East, from Culver Road north to where the industrial park and railroad tracks cross. In addition, the project involves improvements to Pacific Avenue to allow trucks to travel more easily on that road.

The plans have been virtually all completed, Weaver said, and their only concern seems to be the intersection of Pacific Avenue and County Road 300 East, where parts of the road will be closed during the construction process. Weaver said it appears that the construction of the intersection at State Road 8 and County Road 300 East at the north end of the industrial park will be done late this summer, as it appears to be a 90-day project, which should be let in late spring or early summer.

As for the demolition of 2 and 4 North Main Street, Weaver said they are currently waiting for clearance through the Indiana State Historic Preservation Office. He said they had to send the office pictures of the building from several time periods, and said they managed to obtain pictures of the building dating back to the late 1800s, and they’re hoping to bid that demolition project in April.