advertisers

Council to consider incentives for two new grocery stores in Logansport

Last Updated on October 24, 2018 by cassnetwork

The director of the Cass-Logansport Economic Development Organization says there’s a “strong possibility” that the city will soon have two new grocery stores. On Wednesday night, Bill Cuppy told the Logansport City Council finance committee that the owner of the former Marsh property at 3rd Street plans to fill the empty store with an independent grocery store that he says could open by December. Cuppy says there’s a letter of intent from Safeway for the former Marsh property at 14th Street.

Cuppy has been working with both interested parties on local, state and federal incentives. On Oct. 24, he asked the Logansport City Council to consider offering each owner $100,000 in CEDIT funds to be used as reimbursement for interior and exterior improvements to the grocery stores.

The redevelopment commission allocated $117,000 in TIF funds for new sidewalks, parking and lighting at the 3rd Street location. Cuppy said he would likely ask for the same incentive for the 14th Street location.

Cuppy called the projects a “neighborhood investment.”

The council plans to vote on the requests at their Nov. 5 meeting. Cuppy said he’d likely ask them to suspend the rules and hold the second reading for the incentive for the 3rd Street property that night as well. Work is already underway on the 3rd Street property, where the owner is converting the former Hook’s Drug Store property into a Marathon gas station and convenience store.

“It’s a big deal for the people that live and work on that side of town,” said Clerk-Treasurer Stacy Cox.

Cuppy said he’s worked with Cass County economic development director Christy Householder and the mayor on the project.

Cass County Online