Shell Building Discussed At City Council Meeting

GM Development consultant Greg Martz addresses the proposed shell building Monday night.
GM Development consultant Greg Martz addresses the proposed shell building Monday night.

A proposed shell building aimed at attracting a business suitor to Batesville continues to be debated and discussed among officials.

Batesville Economic Development Commission President Andy Saner and Consultant Greg Martz of GM Development addressed the proposed project to Batesville City Council members Monday night.

The link between the city and GM Development is labeled as a public-private partnership, allowing Batesville the majority of control over the shell building project.

City Council must approve a resolution prior to moving forward with financing and other aspects of the project, indicated Martz.

“The city retains final approval process, GM Development would handle the marketing piece,” Martz said. “And you will not miss any marketing opportunity, including international marketing opportunities.”

During his first meeting as a city council member, Jim Fritsch inquired on the specifics of the project and the impact a shell building has had on other communities of similar size.

Fritsch has experience in the construction industry, as an architect and developer of homes and small commercial buildings in Indiana since 1990.

In a recently published Indianapolis Star article, Indianapolis real estate services firm Cassidy Turley ranks Indianapolis has one of the five best industrial markets in the nation.

Saner referenced the article, saying, “We have the opportunity to be the only shell building with this height from Shelbyville to Cincinnati.”

“The longer we wait to move forward with it, the more risk this great opportunity gets to be,” Saner said. “This is not a slam dunk as there is certainly some risk, but we feel the positives outweigh the risks.”

District 2 City Council Member Kevin Chaffee told Saner and Martz that he would like to see additional information regarding interest from potential companies and the type of building they are looking for.

City council did not pass a resolution and the proposal will continue to be discussed.

Saner concluded, “The challenge is reward versus investment. I think it is important to not confuse it with stubbornness, we want to make sure we are doing the right thing. We want this to be the right fit.”