County building detention pond in anticipation of future North Shoppes development
By Chris Fortune
Buchanan County officials identified a need for water diversion at the Shoppes at North Village as the potential for business development continues to grow.
St. Joseph civil engineering firm Snyder & Associates will construct the detention pond in the northeast corner of the North Shoppes, which will be out of sight from people driving by.
The county would like to begin the project, which could take two months to build, as soon as possible to avoid building in the winter months. Buchanan County Commissioner Ron Hook said he believes the project will cost just under $500,000.
“Detention ponds are necessary, and we’re 100% behind the process and the project,” Hook said. “We just want to get going now and get moving on it.”
The county is currently waiting for the city to verify construction and allow Snyder & Associates to proceed with the project.
“It’s for future construction and we’ve had some interest in other lots out there and so we’re waiting to find out what they’re going to do,” Hook said. “But (in the) future, there’s going to be building out there one way or the other.”
Two hotels are currently being constructed in the North Shoppes. Hook said the county has around 27 acres left in the area, and they are in the process of closing on a small piece of property.
“That will be just north of the new hotel there behind Jack Horner’s,” Hook said. “It’s an acre and a half and it’s going to be hopefully closed the middle of next month.”
A parcel of land matching the description of that property at the corner of N. Pointe Road and N. Village Drive is owned by pet care company Bio-Derm Laboratories, according to the Buchanan County GIS.
Hook said the county has received interest from prospective buyers in other parcels of land in the North Shoppes who would be interested in building restaurants and market-rate housing.
“We’ve just got a lot of opportunities at this point that they’ve come and approached us on and we’re looking at all things to see what would be the best fit,” he said.
