At its Dec. 16 meeting, the Fishers City Council approved several economic development agreements, including one for new office buildings on 96th Street and one for Strongbox to fill the previous Marsh site at 96th Street and Lantern Road. For more, visit fishers.in.us.
What happened: The council unanimously approved an economic development agreement for three office buildings in the northwest quadrant of 96th Street and Lantern Road on Sunlight Drive.
What it means: Mattingly Construction approached the City of Fishers recently about an opportunity to purchase additional land previously owned by Sun King Brewery. It plans to construct three, build-to-suit and owner-occupied buildings ranging from 8,000 to 14,000 square feet. The agreement waived impact fees for the project.
What happened: The council unanimously approved an economic agreement for Strongbox Commercial at the northwest quadrant of 96th Street and Lantern Road, which was the former Marsh grocery site. The agreement waives impact fees, and in exchange, Strongbox will purchase license plate readers to place along 96th Street.
What it means: Director of Economic Development Megan Baumgartner presented at the meeting and said the city has worked with Strongbox, an Indianapolis-based developer and construction company, and the owner of the property to develop a project to further redevelopment efforts along 96th Street. Strongbox is working through an agreement process with a new user who has not yet been announced. If an agreement is reached, the new user will occupy 60,000 square feet of the 80,000-square-foot building. Strongbox will demolish the remaining 20,000 square feet and invest $7 million in the project to update the façade, the parking lot and landscaping.
What happened: The council unanimously approved a confirmatory resolution to establish an economic revitalization area and authorize a tax abatement at 10300 Kincaid Dr.
What it means: A confirmatory resolution is the second step in the abatement approval process. The site previously housed Rosch Diagnostics and has been vacant since Rosch left in January 2017. The city is working with various tenants and the building owner to find a tenant. Because the building is vacant, the 100 percent 10-year abatement is post-dated to begin in 2021. Nobody spoke during the public hearing.
What happened: The council unanimously approved a request to amend the project agreement for Flexware Innovation’s new headquarters on Municipal Drive in Fishers. Flexware Innovation is a software and engineering services firm headquartered on Technology Lane.
What it means: The amendment requests a closing date extension to June 2020. The closing date previously was April 2019, but the company went through various challenges with the site plan, which delayed construction.
What happened: The council unanimously approved an impact fee waiver for the Humane Society for Hamilton County’s new building at 106th Street and Hague Road.
What it means: An HSHC spokesperson presented at the meeting and said it has reached $11.5 million of its original fundraising goal of $12 million. The goal is now $14 million and includes a $2 million operating endowment.
What happened: The council unanimously approved an amendment to an ordinance about beekeeping.
What it means: A state law passed at the end of May states municipalities can’t prohibit beekeeping in residential areas; they can only regulate the location and number of hives. For more, visit youarecurrent.com/2019/12/12/fishers-to-amend-beekeeping-ordinance/.
