Industrial Park Development
The GFDA Board recognizes the need to be prepared in these tough economic times and has recently changed its priorities from attracting companies to Great Falls to focusing on the needs of existing companies. GFDA will focus efforts on working with local government, regional partners, and private developers to have industrial sites ready to be prepared to capitalize on new opportunities when the economy improves.
GFDA is working to create an industrial park with mixed use possibilities in the area of River Drive North and 18th Ave N. The purpose of this park is to have “shovel ready” sites for heavy industrial development. “Shovel Ready” is defined as appropriately zoned development sites with sewer, water, power; redundant telecommunications service capacities and access to rail to support a wide array of businesses in the park. At this time there is no rail spur on the site. The above RFP for preliminary design & cost estimate for alternatives for rail spur design is the first step in achieving rail access for this site.
Another current project related to the industrial park efforts is getting additional road access into the area north of Black Eagle. This will make the area ripe for further development and improve access from US 87 over to Black Eagle Road. This will allow for safer, more efficient truck traffic in and out of the area as well as increase the safety on the highway by improving access to acceleration and turning lanes. GFDA, in partnership, with the Montana Department of Transportation, Cascade County, and the City of Great Falls has begun working with TD&H Engineering of Great Falls to develop a preliminary design and cost estimate for an access road. This work will identify alternatives for access as well as address preliminary cost and design estimates.
For more information on the Industrial Park efforts, please contact Lillian Sunwall at 771-9024 or lswunwall@greatfallsdevelopment.org
