City reports economic development projects are now in the works

Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail-- This 1930s-era vintage gas station building at 905 E. Subway will be home to Daylight Donuts kiosk, selling coffee and doughnuts made at their primary location at 114 N. Cedar St., on the Nevada Square.

Nevada, Mo. -- Not all of it is not obvious, but there is a lot of economic development activity going on, Nevada Planning Director Ron Clow told the planning commission Tuesday evening.

Some of the projects, like Barry Clark's 25,000 square foot strip mall east of Wal-Mart is visible, but several others are in various stages of planning.

"There are things in the works that don't have major visible changes," he said.

In addition to Clark's strip mall, Clow said that he has been working with Bruce Ré on preliminary plans for a 150,000-square-foot retail development south of the Country Inn motel, which will also be undergoing some construction in the future.

He told the commission that Dick Meyers plans to expand by adding 24 units on the east end of the Country Inn.

While McDonald's is currently serving meals as usual, in the next couple of months the building will be razed to make room for a new McDonald's restaurant on the same lote that will face east on South Main Street, instead of facing Austin.

"In the future McDonald's wants to build another store on the east end of town," Clow said.

One project that could have far reaching implications, involves the Nevada Industrial Park.

Aquila, which is currently in the process of being sold, owns the park, Clow told the planning commission.

"We proposed to Aquila, that they sell the property to a 501(c)3 corporation in exchange for $150,000 to $200,000 in tax credits," he said.

A 501(c)3 is the tax classification for a type of not-for-profit corporation.

"They would be able to get grants to build out the park," he said.

Clow said that there is a local company that is interested in building a regional distribution center here, which would lead to some of their suppliers also locating offices in Nevada.

He told the planning commission there are several existing businesses that are planning to move in the near future, including Subway moving to the Captain D's building on east Austin, and Daylight Donuts is planning to open a second location.

"Dick Shorten has bought and is renovating the old gas station building east of the subway," Clow said.

Daylight Donuts is planning to open a kiosk there to sell coffee and donuts, that they will make at their current location on the Nevada Square, he said.

He told the commission that the city is also moving ahead with their plans to build a compost site on city property at Smelter Hill in the southeast part of town.

Clow was planning to make a presentation to the Region M Solid Waste Management District Wednesday to request a $22,700 grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to construct the facility.

He said that is Phase 2 of the city's plan reduce the need for people to burn leaves in the fall. Phase 1, was the purchase of a new leaf vacuum last fall with a grant.

"We are now planning to be situated to process leaves and by next year have free compost for citizens at the site," Clow said.