ECI Regional Planning District Facilitates Growth in Marion

Marion, IN — The groundbreaking for the Riverside Community Federal Credit Union occurred in downtown Marion on Aug. 29.

The site at 101 N. Washington St. had long been wasted space, previously occupied by a dry cleaning business that had been vacant for 50 years, as well as an abandoned gas station.

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When Riverside, formerly known as Charles Street Federal Credit Union, first expressed an interest in building on the site, the city of Marion requested an environmental study to be done on the property due to concerns that it may be hazardous due to the previous uses.

The East Central Indiana Regional Planning District, Inc (ECIRPD), a company that works to facilitate economic development in Blackford, Delaware, Grant and Jay Counties, helped to fund the environmental studies performed at the site using grant money from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“We’re happy to have been able to use our EPA money to facilitate the reuse of these contaminated sites and put the property back on the tax rolls,” said president and founder of ECIRPD, E. Roy Budd.

In 2012, the site underwent ECIRPD Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments used to determine what, if any, contamination.

“In Phase I, our consultant does a record search to research the history of what the site was used for as well as a physical examination of the property to see if there are any signs that the property may be hazardous,” said ECIRPD Project Manager, Pam Price. “If further inspection is needed, and with the property owner’s permission, the planning district will initiate a Phase II assessment.”

Phase II is a more invasive and extensive assessment that may require collecting soil samples or boring holes in the ground to install monitoring wells. For the site in downtown Marion, the Phase II involved extensive digging, taking core samples every five feet until the water was reached and then taking a water sample as well.

Riverside requested ECIRPD to assist them in getting a comfort letter from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management that would ensure that the property was safe to build on and that the credit union would not be liable for any future problems relating to contamination of the previous structures. The acquisition of this letter allowed Riverside to move forward in planning and construction with a peace of mind.

The new Riverside Community Federal Credit Union is expected to be complete sometime within the next six to eight months.

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ABOUT ECIRPD
Founded in September 2009, ECIRPD’s purpose is to serve the local governments of Blackford, Delaware, Grant and Jay Counties by providing plans for economic development, leadership and professional services to maximize opportunities for growth and prosperity for all citizens of the district.

 

Written by Morgan Crouse
1208 White River Boulevard
Suite 111
Muncie, IN 47303
Phone: 812-603-2157
email: [email protected]