The Missouri Department of Economic Development announced today that St. Joseph was awarded $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding through the Industrial Site Development Program.
For St. Joseph, the funding will allow for sewer and water loop infrastructure servicing for Phase II of Eastowne Business Park and extends the availability of water that could be accessed for future land development to the east and northeast.
“This allows us to extend sewer and water to the east, which has been targeted for future business park use,” said Brad Lau, Vice President of Economic Development for the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and St. Joseph Economic Development Partnership.
This is good news for the St. Joseph economy, as a lack of available sites often takes St. Joseph out of the running when companies are deciding where to locate.
“This will help us recruit new companies to St. Joseph and give space for our current companies to expand,” he said.
Lau also stated that when you pair today’s news with the recent announcement of the $2.7 million grant from the Governor’s Cost-Share Program that will improve the area of Pickett Road to the east of Route AC and Ag Expo Way to U.S. Highway 36, that means $5.2 million in funds have been secured to help with infrastructure for the St. Joseph business community.
Throughout the state a total of $75 million was dispersed to 15 different projects.
The City of St. Joseph and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce worked together to pursue the grant, with assistance from Mosaic Life Care.