Local News

Industrial Structure Another Population Building Block

(La Porte, IN) - Another piece of the puzzle has been laid for growing La Porte’s population.  Construction has started on a 150,000 square foot building at Thomas Rose Industrial Park.  The space will be available for industries to lease.

 

Mayor Tom Dermody wants to increase the population, that has been stagnant at about 22,000 for several decades, to 30,000 city residents by 2030.  He said the industrial building should help keep existing residents and bring new ones here by providing new jobs.  “We’re exciting about this and this is the first of more to come,” Dermody said.

 

Other pieces of the population growth puzzle already laid include ongoing construction of

200 resort type apartments next to Clear Lake, along with more new housing construction near Fish Trap Lake.  Plus, a major renovation of Maple Lane Mall where Rural King plans to open a store in the spring.  Rural King is also trying to entice other retail operations into the once thriving mall.

 

The industrial building is going up on 23 acres in an expanded area of the park that was equipped with roads and other infrastructure in 2016.

           

The dirt being moved is family owned by Qualls Development Group which leases industrial space to companies at four different locations in La Porte, Rolling Prairie and Knox.  Bob Qualls, Jr. said the facility will be suitable for manufacturing and logistics type operations.  He said the company has never put up a structure with hopes it will attract tenants, but chose to now in response to interest.  “We’re hearing good things already before we turn the first shovel.  We’re excited about the possibilities,” Qualls said.

           

The company was founded in 1992 when Bob Qualls, Sr. purchased the old American Home Foods building at Indiana 2 and Fail Road on the city’s east side.  The 400,000 square facility is now home to Harper Collins Publishing.  Other buildings owned by the firm include one on Fail Road occupied by Alpha Baking Co.  “We have a lot of good tenants who’ve been with us for the duration of time,” Qualls, Sr. said.

 

Dermody said other keys to population growth already underway include enhanced promotion of the lakes, more trails and updating the existing housing stock.

 

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