04/30/12 Thursday, Congressman Joe Donnelly announced that the Board of Commissioners of Starke County received a $503,000 grant to improve access to Knox Industrial Park, an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).
This investment will help construct critical roadway infrastructure for traffic entering and exiting the industrial park and will therefore help to facilitate economic activity at the industrial park. It is expected to create 100 jobs and leverage $20 million in private investment.
“I’m pleased to announce this grant to improve access to Knox’s Industrial Park because it will help create jobs for Hoosiers and spur small business growth,” said Donnelly. “Improved access to this area will mean improved access to jobs, services, and centers of trade for both the county and the region. I commend the public and private sector leaders in Starke County for their hard work on this project.”
Charlie Weaver, Executive Director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, said, “This grant is extremely important for several reasons and will allow us to complete a project that has been on the drawing board for quite some time. This will correct a safety issue, provide for improved truck and delivery access to the Starke County Rail Park-Knox , and greatly improve the prospects of attracting additional industry to this area. From an economic development perspective, it is a giant win for Starke County.”
EDA’s mission is to promote innovation and competitiveness to prepare U.S. regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. This EDA grant was awarded through a competitive process.
