TransPORT Ready to Grow

By Steve Tarter of the Journal Star

PEORIA - Redevelopment of a former Caterpillar Inc. foundry in Mapleton, unused about 25 years, sets the stage for rapid expansion of the area's port district in the future, officials said at a Thursday news conference in downtown Peoria.

The Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, also known as TransPORT, has agreed to terms with Caterpillar on the purchase of the 80-acre site near the Illinois River. That includes the 1.2 million-square-foot foundry building, said Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar group president.

"Caterpillar had no other use for the building and here came this great opportunity for reuse. We've done this elsewhere where land is parceled out, allowing a lot of people to take small pieces," he said.

"Our hope is that you can get 12 companies in there and 250 jobs. It's a community involvement issue," said Oberhelman.

Caterpillar will pay $300,000 toward rehabilitation costs of the site while the state will give a $250,000 grant to TransPORT, said Jack Lavin, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. He credited State Sen. George Shadid, D-Peoria, for getting the port grant passed by the Illinois legislature.

"There's great potential with this facility. I think this will be the first of many announcements for this project," he said.

Lavin said Illinois can take advantage of its central location to serve as a distribution center for the nation. "Shipments come in from the west coast that are sent directly to the Midwest and then distributed throughout the rest of the country," he said.

Already the fifth-largest inland port in the country, Peoria looks to grow even more, said Jim McConoughey, president of the Heartland Partnership and TransPORT's interim executive director. He named Houston and Memphis the busiest inland ports in the United States.

"With logistics being the second fastest growing industry in the nation, (Peoria) is perfectly positioned to capitalize on our logistic assets," said McConoughey, referring to the ready availability of road, river and rail transport in the region.

The agreement between TransPORT and Caterpillar allows the port authority to arrange for use of the building on a case-by-case basis, he said.

"It could be characterized as a 1 million-square-foot condo," said McConoughey.

Some local companies have already expressed interest in space at the site, said Dan Silverthorn, chairman of the TransPORT board. He declined to name any companies.

"It takes a little time," he said of the conversion process to reuse the building. "The actual (warehousing) building may be two years away," said Silverthorn, acknowledging that as many as 250 to 300 jobs could be generated by the project.

"This site has sat idle for too long," said Shadid. "Hopefully, this will attract manufacturing-warehousing companies that provide good jobs that pay good money. The port authority will surprise a lot of people. It's going to be huge."

TransPORT covers 100 miles of the Illinois River, encompassing Peoria, Fulton, Tazewell, Marshall, Mason and Woodford counties. The authority oversees commercial development along that stretch of the river.

The Caterpillar facility will be the first port development in TransPORT's region.

Caterpillar continues to operate another foundry nearby in Mapleton.

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