Carmel is negotiating with out-of-state corporation to move to U.S. 31 corridor
March 8, 2007
CARMEL, IN -- A national company is scouting sites in Carmel for office space for a regional headquarters that could bring 900 jobs.
Asked Wednesday about the potential development, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard declined to give details except to confirm that talks are under way with an out-of-state corporation. He would not reveal the name or type of industry until an agreement is reached but confirmed it involves about 900 jobs.
"I could say these would be office jobs, and the location would be in the U.S. 31 office corridor," Brainard said.
A decision and an announcement may be several months away, but possibly by June.
Local government officials are skittish about divulging details of their efforts to lure new development, especially when companies seek confidentiality.
"But I can say Carmel has invested in good roads and other infrastructure in the U.S. 31 corridor so we can be prepared to attract these types of quality companies," Brainard said.
"This is the kind of economic development and the creation of jobs that would be good for Carmel, would help keep our tax rates down and would benefit the whole Indianapolis region."
The corridor also has been attracting companies, such as computing and data storage centers, which require enhanced security features for their technology. The Carmel corridor has infrastructure such as fiber-optic and broadband connections and multiple sources of electric power.
If a large employer commits to the Hamilton County community, several vacant sites for construction of office buildings are available along the U.S. 31 corridor.
Also, nearly 347,000 square feet of speculative office space is under construction this year to lure new companies to Carmel, according to the Colliers Turley Martin Tucker real estate firm. And nearly 1 million square feet of new construction has been announced by several developers for future construction in the corridor, between 96th and 131st streets.
The newest and ready-to-lease one is a multistory Class A office building by Opus North Corp. The shell of the 106,000-square-foot building, designed for one or multiple tenants, was completed late last year.
The Opus North site along U.S. 31 just north of 126th Street also has sites ready to start construction on two more multistory structures that could create a three-building campus for one large company or space for many small tenants.
John Cumming, vice president of real estate development for Opus North, said the company is not close to a deal to lease its building. "No deals are done," he said.
Opus is "looking for prospects that would use 5,000 square feet to the full building," he said.
Star reporter Jeff Swiatek contributed to this story.
Email This Page!