Shown is the 3 acres at 2610 E. Jefferson St., Warsaw, Bowen Health gave to the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission at no cost. It currently is a vacant grassy lot. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW – Bowen Health is giving about 3 acres on Jefferson Street to the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission at no cost.

At the commission’s meeting Monday, Oct. 20, Community and Economic Development Director Jeremy Skinner presented the board with a release and indemnity agreement with Bowen Health Inc. for the property at 2610 E. Jefferson St., followed by a quitclaim deed. Both were approved by the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission.

In explaining the release and indemnity agreement, Skinner said, “We’re basically just releasing Bowen from any claims or any costs associated with the property as it relates to any environmental cleanup and so forth.”

He said the property, a vacant grassy hill, is by Arnolt and south of Rabb Water Systems. Bowen bought the property about five or six years ago.

“They approached us about eight months to a year ago, asking if we’d be interested in taking over the property. I had indicated to them that I would if they didn’t want to try to use it. Now, I’m actively talking to somebody about potentially developing it now,” Skinner said.

Bowen Health has offered the property to the Redevelopment Commission, he said, at no cost. “Obviously, there may be some environmental things we have to do with, much similar to the Arnolt site, which is just a stone’s throw away, but we’re in the process of getting that property phase I and phase II now, so we’ll know what the complications of it are, but I do recommend you approve the release and indemnity agreement, and then approve to accept the property afterwards,” Skinner explained.

Councilman Mike Klondaris asked what his concerns were with cleaning the property up.

Skinner responded, “I’m not concerned. We’re the only people that are going to clean up contaminated property. So if we want to get this property back on the tax rolls, much like we did with Arnolt, this is the place it comes to, to make it productive again. So the fact that they’re willing to give the property to us, we’ll be willing to work towards getting it productive again.”

Asked by Klondaris how big the property is, Skinner estimated 3 acres. “It’s a decent size.”

Redevelopment Commission President George Clemens, who owns Rabb, said, “I would say the property has value.” Klondaris made the motion to accept the agreement, Commission member Bill Curl seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Clemens pointed out that while he did vote for the commission to accept the property, he may need to abstain from future votes because he owns surrounding property. The commission then unanimously approved the quitclaim deed.

In another matter, they then unanimously approved an economic development memorandum of understanding between the city and Sullivan Wickley Warsaw LLC, the Georgia limited liability company that owns and is developing the Marketplace of Warsaw, for the Hobby Lobby store that is coming to the city by late 2026.

Skinner explained the Redevelopment Commission isn’t necessarily approving or has any part of the development. “However, when I put this on the agenda and had them sign it, I did not catch that it had our signature left on it. Since the developer has already signed it, it doesn’t actually hurt us to approve the agreement. But this agreement specifically will go to the city council (Monday night),” he said.

The MOU is an economic development income tax Revolving Loan request, so it deals with EDIT funds and not Redevelopment Commission funds. “But since your names are on this MOU, I would request that you approve the MOU, then sign it and then it will go to the city council tonight” for their approval, Skinner said.

“So there’s no financial incentive coming from the Redevelopment Commission. It’ll all be from the EDIT, which is controlled by the city council.” The financial incentive from the city is in the form of a $250,000 forgiveable loan for the placement of a new Hobby Lobby store within a section of the Marketplace shopping center. The agreement allows the city council to approve the loan, with $100,000 paid in 2025 and $150,000 pain in 2026 after the completion of demolition and site preparation.

The loan would then be forgiven once the city issues a occupancy permit for the Hobby Lobby store. Hobby Lobby will add some additional square footage to the shopping center while adding 35 to 50 new retail jobs.

The last thing the Redevelopment Commission approved Monday was claims. Those included $4,000 from Engineering Resources Inc. for the Shelden Street project; $300 from Four Aces Lawn Care for mowing the lots along the South Buffalo Street property; $49.37 from Administrative Assistant Whitney Shilling for reimbursement of her notary continuing education; $283,309 from Phend & Brown Inc. for the CR 200N project; and $5,192 from A & Z Engineering for ongoing engineering for the CR 200N project and CR 200W.

The next Warsaw Redevelopment Commission is scheduled for 4 p.m. Nov. 3 in the city council chambers at City Hall.