Decatur – Decatur is seeing a commercial development boom with $69.5 million in new commercial development projects in 2016.
“It’s a nice mix of different kinds of projects. Commercial and non-retail as well,” Patrick Hoban of the city of Decatur told WAND’s Doug Wolfe. “Over a billion dollars easy over the past decade. Especially with the (ADM) Inland Port. That was a monster project.”
More commercial development is on the horizon for 2017. Businessman Gary Haines has shown the city plans for redeveloping the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and Pershing Road. Haines is planning on possibly turning the long closed Rusty’s restaurant into a retail and medical facility.
Directly across the street is the site where a hotel was demolished over the summer. Hoban says there are three solid inquiries regarding the property including one this week. On Route 36 there has been interest in a former Ruby Tuesday restaurant building which closed in July.
New projects for 2016 include a $8.4 million investment by Aramark on East Pershing Road where a 100,000-square foot building is being constructed. The facility will allow Aramark to retain 66 jobs while creating 19 new jobs for a total of 85 full time staff.
Two major hotel construction projects are still underway. A new Hampton Inn and a Holiday Inn Express are going up in Decatur. Both are expected to open in 2017.
(Pictured: Closed Ruby Tuesday restaurant on Route 36 in Decatur.)
