Listen Live

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — The mayor of Noblesville is hoping to get the ball rolling on a new business park that could bring as many as 500 jobs to the Hamilton County city.

The plan is for what is being called the Washington Business Park, a 75-acre development that would sit near State Road 37 and 146th street just west of the downtown area. Mayor Chris Jensen said it’s about being prepared for when businesses are looking for a place to locate.

“You don’t want to find yourself with a community with no shovel-ready sites, for example, when businesses are knocking at your door,” said Jensen to Inside Indiana Business. “So we’re trying to balance that (and) make sure the taxpayers are protected at all times, too.”

Jensen said it’s not just “shovel-ready sites” but also shell buildings that need to already be in place from when businesses want to be able to move right in immediately.

“We’re fortunate enough we’ve maintained strong fiscal discipline here in the city of Noblesville. We’ve also had a forward-looking mindset in the community planning for projects like this,” he said.

It’s not clear yet how much the project would cost to build, but the city plans to pursue a $6.7 million TIF-backed bond for the project with the city and developer splitting the proceeds, which Jensen says creates zero risks for taxpayers.

Jensen said they plan to present the plan to the Noblesville Common Council at an upcoming meeting. If all goes well, Jensen said constructions could start this summer.