Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Property To Develop Prescott Industrial Park Is Purchased

The "best thing since black topped roads" took place Monday night as the Prescott City Council members took strides in making the city better prepared for prospective industry when it purchased two pieces of property.

Council member Dick Bright, who has lobbied for a move such as this purchase, told the group not only was it as good as black topped roads it was a huge step in the right direction in locating industries and businesses to Nevada County.

The largest piece of property purchased was about 114 acres of land joining Highway 200 (Ron Harrod Boulevard) and the railroad spur in a large triangle shape which will be used as an industrial park.

Prescott-Nevada County Economic Office director Chandler Russ told city officials the purchase was "the best piece of property in Prescott, Arkansas, for industrial development."

Russ also led the council through the purchase of 1.264 acres from Ann Vermont for the St. Michael rural health clinic which announced it's plans earlier this year.

The council spent just over $3,000 an acre for the industrial site property, paying land owner Max Hairston, $375,000.

The property for the clinic fetched a $20,000 price. Both pieces of property have options attached for future possible expansions.

The site on Highway 200 now has industrial water and sewer mains from the city's latest expansion.

NRS, a consulting and engineer firm with an office in Texarkana, was approved to do topographic map work on the site and a preliminary engineering study which includes development plans.

Streets will be laid out on the property with 5-acre sites plotted. A gravel based road system will probably be built in the area and it is possible a speculative building will be built in order to entice industry.

Once industry begins to locate in the industrial park, streets will be paved to accommodate the traffic.

The health clinic site will be given to St. Michael as long as they operate a clinic in Prescott. It is expected the clinic's building cost will approach $700,000 - a price paid by St. Michael.

Council members purchased a new police car from Prescott Motor Company during the meeting. In addition a Chevrolet truck was purchased from a Hope dealer.

West Chestnut Street was closed officially by the council following a hearing preceding last month's council meeting and action taken by the board Monday.

The street went from U.S. 67 to the railroad spur between the First United Pentecostal Church and property owned by Jean Jones.

The city retained rights to it's water line on the property. Those rights lie with the line in the middle and 12.5 feet on each side.