An old tobacco warehouse in Owensboro, Kentucky is being given a second chance at life. It’s being transformed into high tech laboratories and other offices. In the 1930′s, the brick warehouse was part of the hustle and bustle of “Tobacco Row.”
Local leaders have been wanting to give downtown Owensboro a shot in the proverbial arm for a while, and many believe that converting this warehouse will do just that. Developers want to make the building an important part of Owensboro’s downtown redevelopment, by turning the building into a laboratory and a small business center.
Developer Malcolm Bryant told 14 WFIE News that he thinks the warehouse is ideal: “It’s already here and it’s strong and it’s already structurally sound.”
With the growth of Owensboro’s bio-tech industry, the community is looking for places to expand, adding laboratories and other business offices.
WFIE Reports:
As Owensboro’s bio-tech industry continues to grow, the community is looking for places to expand, adding laboratories and other business offices.
“We need a place for those people to do business,” Hugh Haydon, Kentucky Bio-Processing, said. “This is it.”
Haydon said Owensboro is working hard to become a leader in the bio-processing industry.
“Having this kind of space available, having a demonstrated local commitment to that industry sector is hugely important,” Haydon said. “Something you haven’t seen in other communities to my knowledge across the world.”
Nick Brake, Economic Development Corporation, said the operations in Owensboro has helped.
“We have a competitive advantage in that facility, in the intellectual property that they control and the research that is going on here,” Brake said.
Local leaders say they hope building on to the bio-tech industry will attract students to town.
But, will this draw young people? Will this draw students into the community to work at this facility?
Brake is hopeful.
“Well we certainly hope it will,” Brake said. “Part of what we’re trying to create here is an environment. It’s all tied into the place making and it will be a unique space.”
The City said Tuesday it will contribute $2 million to the project. Daviess County said it will pay for $500,000 of the project.
Work is already underway, and Brake said in six to nine months the outside of the building could be done and space become available inside.
Story from 14 WFIE News.com
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