News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville set to take the next steps forward with its Lemon Farris Industrial Site grant and conduct geotechnical due diligence studies.
Community Development Director Jon Ward said the grant was originally awarded in 2022 from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. He said this the $25,000 will be put toward a contract for the due diligence services.
“That’s the first thing they’re going to ask have you had a phase one environmental, have you had an endangered species evaluation, have you had the archeological evaluation, the jurisdictional waters,” Ward said. “So this is an opportunity to go ahead and check those boxes and make the site more ready for development.”
Ward said the big ticket item that will come with the due diligence services will be the preliminary geotechnical services. He said there is challenging topography at the site and the contract would provide those initial studies so potential developers would have more awareness of the site
Ward said the 32-acre tract is one of the last remaining industrial development sites at the Lemon Farris Industrial Park. He said the site, located between Highway 111 and I-40, has been pitched to any project that comes through with that acreage requirement. Ward said they have not yet gotten traction on moving the site for potential development.
“When we were awarded this grant we were awarded $25,200 and our match was $2,800 so that was a total of $28,000 available for funding,” Ward said.”If you’ll see I’ve negotiated with these folks. Their quote was for $31,000 and I talked with the state with the site development grant coordinator and we do anticipate to reduce the scope of geotechnical. They provided up to six borings here and we’ll reduce that to four to fall within the funding limits of the grant.”
Cookeville City Council will officially vote to move the item forward at its 5:30 meeting Thursday.
