Johnson County Fiscal Court has utilized Local Government Economic Development Program (LGEDP) funds to purchase a 15.1-acre property located near Ben Tire at Hagerhill to be developed and marketed as an industrial site to attract good paying jobs to the area. The Fiscal Court is working with representatives from the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet to obtain Build Ready Kentucky Certification for the property increasing its marketability to companies. The site preparation to meet the requirements of the certification lets prospective businesses know that the much of the work, other than building construction has been completed, allowing operations to start quickly.
The Hagerhill site is rich in the amenities important to industrial development and should help expedite the county’s efforts to achieve the Build Ready Kentucky Certification. With just some small upgrades, the site will soon checkoff many of items on the Build Ready checklist. The site already has access to water, wastewater, three-phase power, gas, high-speed internet, and most importantly, rail. Recent conversations with CSX indicate that a rail spur could be created to provide rail access to the property, which enhances the marketability to a greater number of potential companies. Plans are underway to seek grant funds to complete any necessary utility improvements, create plans to upgrade the access road, and construct a building pad. Other partnerships are underway to create a virtual 3-D rendering of a 50,000 square-foot spec building to be placed on the site. There are very few sites in eastern Kentucky that have as many positives as the Hagerhill site, and that along with the availability of a talented and available workforce make it a great tool to use to recruit businesses and much needed jobs for the people of Johnson County.
