Second Harvest Column: 7/12/07

And, what a job that is. Financial restraints dictated that we build our own units from used freezer panels. Sounds so simple. We ordered them from Barr up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They were trucked in and unloaded in the middle of the newly purchased warehouse at 6621 N Old SR 3 in Delaware County. It took 3 flatbed big rigs to haul them down so you know we are talking BIG here.

Contracts are in, or in the works, to hook up electricity for these house-size units, to cut troughs for drains in the concrete where the floor of the freezer goes, to buy and install heat tape, insulation and add a layer of concrete. We will bring in structural steel uprights and rail beams that will be used to hold up the 20 foot tall wall panels and provide the racking for the pallets of product we will store in the freezer and refrigerator. Then we will have to have the refrigeration compressors put in, sprinklers for fire control and special freezer lights.

The process will involve many trades and businesses as this $330,000 project is completed. Two thirds of the cost will be covered by the federal Economic Development Initiative appropriation (earmark) that we received in 2005 to renovate our Anderson location. The rest will be covered by capital donations from The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, the Madison County Community Foundation, The Mutual Federal Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, the sale of equipment, and revenue from other sought-for grants and donations (keep your fingers crossed on those yet to come in).

In Anderson we are making some overtures toward selling our building. The City of Anderson has graciously agreed to accept the deed when we are ready to vacate but would just as soon see it in the hands of owners who could rehab and use it. It really is a terrific building. It is on just-short of an acre of property with access on the railway side to both Meridian and Jackson Streets. The corner lot is a busy one with lots of visibility. The warehouse is in good condition and the old multi-story section has lovely offices, a cool basement and two upper floors that are crying to become loft apartments! The place is wired with 480 volt, 600 amps, 3 phase electricity, has those great docks on two sides and one large drive-in refrigerator that will stay. If not for the south wall threatening to collapse, it would be a real buy. Even so, we would sell for a bargain price and a business could put their money into stabilizing the wall. I’ve listed it on LoopNet and have actually had a bite from a broker in California… we’ll see what happens there!

Over in Delaware County at the new place, we are also marketing space. We have 54,000 square feet of open warehouse that needs a tenant. Getting someone in there would really help the budget. That place is heavily wired too and zoned intense industrial. In ten years we may well be occupying that square footage but would love to have a neighbor to help with the bills in the mean time. It has nice docks and an office space with restrooms and break rooms in the middle of the warehouse. The whole space could easily be subdivided for multiple tenants.