Plans to build a Genesis Products facility on Goshen’s southern side advanced on November 9 at the meeting with the Goshen Redevelopment Commission.
The commission members approved a proposal from Becky Hutsell, redevelopment director for the city, to grant the right to solicit bids to construct stormwater facilities along Southside Park Court. According to a report, these are needed for the plan to proceed. Genesis Products supplies wood-based components, laminated panels, and custom-molded items for recreational vehicles (RV) manufacturing, housing transport, and other sectors.
Earlier this year, a potential project was presented to the commission to participate in a stormwater connection along Southside Park Court to allow for the construction of a new facility for Genesis Products along with the development of several other vacant parcels on both Kercher Road and Eisenhower Drive South,” Hutsell spoke of the request.
“These properties are located within the Kercher wellfield capture zone, which prohibits any infiltration of stormwater into the ground and requires connection into other systems.”
“The existing systems within close range to these lots are all at capacity,” she said. The commission supported the development of a plan that would install controlled release stormwater connections to the existing stormwater main in Kercher Road.
As the project is developing, Hutsell stated that Genesis Products has purchased two additional parcels located on Southside Park Court, along with the vacant parcel located on Kercher Road, and desires to finish the construction of their Goshen campus.
“This stormwater connection will allow for the development of two new buildings, which will generate new revenue, and parking improvements that will provide a substantial benefit within this area of the industrial park,” Hutsell said of the project. “The cost estimate for the work is $246,767, and our hope is to be able to bid this project by the end of the year to allow for the connection to occur in the spring to facilitate the construction of Genesis’ first building on Eisenhower Drive South.”
In the words of Hutsell, Genesis Products is providing the design for the project in the context of its larger plan for the site’s development. The plan calls for constructing a brand-new, 74,000-square-foot manufacturing plant located in the Goshen Industrial Park with an estimated cost of between $8 to $10 million.
“We’re requesting permission to solicit bids for the construction of the stormwater infrastructure once final design has been completed,” Hutsell said. “This project has been funded in the existing Five-Year Capital Plan, and the allocated funding is sufficient to complete the proposed scope of work.”
The committee approved the request to solicit bids for the infrastructure project in a unanimous vote.