More Land Needed To Bring Development To Cookeville’s Business Park

Cookeville’s Highlands Business Park needs more land in order to bring in more tenants.

That is according to Cookeville Economic Development Coordinator Melinda Keifer. Keifer said the vision of the area was small lots for technology firms, but companies keep asking for more land.

“In that particular mindset, 10 acre lots, seven acre lots are absolutely perfect,” Keifer said. “But, the reality of that is they’re asking for 100 acre lots.”

The some 300 acre economic center runs between I-40 and Lee Seminary Road. Keifer said the largest parcel available is about 22 acres.

“We need to acquire more land. There is land adjacent,” Keifer said. “And I think that is something that we have always known, I have. In the future and part of the reason we have the economic development fund is to continue on that vision. (…) I need to turn that five acre corner into a 20 acre corner.”

Keifer said there has been lots of discussions with land owners to purchase more land to fit the larger requests. Ficosa and Colorobbia are two businesses that occupy the business park.