Update, April 6: The deadline has been extended to May 1, according to the IDB.
Previously:
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board (IDB) is seeking developers to bring restaurants, grocers and other services to an Industrial Park Commercial Complex located off Rossview Road and International Boulevard.
The IDB announced Friday they are seeking proposals from developers to develop 20 acres zoned C-5 in the South Industrial Park. The complex would feature new high-end amenities for park employees as well as for residents within the area.
New business
Director of Economic Development Josh Ward told Clarksville Now the IDB is looking to attract a variety of new businesses to the South Industrial Park.
“We know that the area has some of the higher-income demographics in the community, so we think that the area can support some of those higher-end amenities, but also for all the employees of the Industrial Park – like those that work at Hankook, FedEx, and Red Knight – we want to offer them some services that they don’t already have in the area.”
Ward explained that the IDB would like to see a grocery store, pharmacy, and health clinic in the area, noting that they are also looking to add some recreational elements, such as a food truck park with greenspace.
“We’re really trying to bring in some high-end amenities and some retail or restaurants that we don’t already have in the Clarksville community,” Ward said. “We want to create some additional food options so that when employees of the Industrial Park go on their lunch break, they have a place to go, and we really want to get out of the fast-food options that are already there.”
Rossview traffic
The request for proposal (RFP) stated that developers could receive possible incentives based on the quality of the concept and overall capital investment. Incentives could include a discount on the land purchase price, a possible PILOT, marketing assistance and a partnership on infrastructure costs.
Ward told Clarksville Now the IDB will look to incentivize a developer to build another road, called International Court, that would divert additional traffic off Rossview Road heading to and from the complex.
“We’re putting the development cost for this access road on the developer. In order to win the bid, you basically have to build the road,” Ward told Clarksville Now. “The way we’re getting around additional traffic on Rossview is to pull them onto International Boulevard to International Court. And that way they can use that light and that intersection to get in and out (of the complex).”
He added that the complex would be developed close to the completion of the Rossview Road widening, which is slated to be finished by about 2027.
“By the time this area is fully developed, we’ll be a lot closer to Rossview Road being widened, and then the road will be able to handle the additional traffic coming in and out. Part of what we’re looking for is the developer to fund the new road, so we don’t put all the traffic on Rossview.”
The right developer
Ward told Clarksville Now the IDB wants national and local eyes on this property, noting that the RFP was issued to both national and local developers. In the process, the IDB hopes to get some commercial concepts that Clarksville doesn’t already have.
“That’s the intent of sending this RFP out nationwide because we know the land is zoned properly, the income demographics are there; we just have to get the right eyes on this property to bring in the right tenants.”
When it comes to finding the right developer, Ward said the IDB is open to all opportunities but noted a master developer for the full 20 acres would be ideal.
“The ideal scenario is that a single developer will come in, they will build the road, and they will also bring the grocery store, and the pharmacy, and some of the restaurants with their plan. So, hopefully one developer can do it all, and we will do our best to work with them and incentivize them to make it financially viable for them, but if we only get submissions back for half of the site, we’re open to that as well.”
Ward explained that in order to select the best proposal for this development, a committee of local experts will review the submissions.
“The IDB has established a real estate committee for this project, so we are not selecting the winner or the best RFP, but the five-person committee will be reviewing all submissions, and they will select the best one based on the design and what the developer is offering the IDB. That five-person committee consists of real estate experts, there’s a community member that lives in the area, and there’s a Chamber member as well. So, we tried to get a diverse group together to make the final decision.”
Proposals must be received by April 16, no later than 5 p.m., for consideration in the selection process. For developers looking to submit on the C-5 developments, instructions can be found in the full RFP.