(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte has annexed more ground for another expansion of the Thomas Rose Industrial Park, consisting of 92 acres of farmland owned by developer Bob Qualls, who requested to have the property served by municipal water and sewer.
Municipal utility service is prohibited from being extended outside the city limits under an ordinance adopted several years ago.
“I think he recognizes that you’re not a real player in the industrial market unless you’re served by utilities. That access to utilities is absolutely essential to any industrial development so they’re positioning themselves to be successful long term at the site,” said Bert Cook, Executive Director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership.
Qualls owns another 17 acres of undeveloped land already in the city that will be part of the expansion of the park.
Construction of a second spec building owned by Qualls for light industrial use at the park is in the process of being finished. His first 150,000-square-foot spec building constructed about three years ago is fully occupied and leased by Gravure Ink and American Renolit Corporation. Gravure Ink makes a thin paper containing various designs resembling primarily the grain on trees such as maple, hickory, cherry, and oak. The designs, on paper, are then shipped to be glued on plywood and particle board panels used in products like cabinetry.
The rest of the spec building is used by American Renolit Corporation for storage. The La Porte-based company is a maker of plastic films at its manufacturing facility at 1207 E. Lincolnway. The films are used in graphics, signage, and the labeling industry.
Cook said he’s not sure how the newly annexed property will specifically be used but feels light industry similar to what’s already in the park will go up on the land.
“That would be the likeliest scenario,” he said.
Cook said he doesn’t expect any problems with attracting industry to the site once water and sewer lines are extended a short distance from the park to the expanded area. He also noted how there is a rail service for the transport of supplies and products to and from the companies, along with a NIPSCO substation at the park to meet electricity demand.
“It makes for really nice sites that are well served by utilities,” he said.
Qualls is the owner of Qualls Development Group, which leases industrial space to companies at four different locations in La Porte, Rolling Prairie, and Knox. The company was founded in 1992 when Qualls purchased the old American Home Foods building at Indiana 2 and Fail Road on the city’s east side. The 400,000-square-foot facility is now home to Harper Collins Publishing. Other buildings owned by the firm include one on Fail Road occupied by Alpha Baking Co.
Work on developing the Thomas Rose Industrial Park on the city’s northeast side dates back to the 1990s, having grown from just over 100 acres to 344 acres from two expansions in 2008 and 2015 before the latest expansion.
Cook said there are about 20 companies at the park, employing roughly 1,000 people.
“It’s been a good project for the city,” he said.
In early March, the city annexed the 39 North Conservancy District, consisting of mostly industrial and residential development on about 960 acres of land. The city plans to increase water capacity at the newly incorporated property to meet demand from anticipated new development.
