Heartland Automotive receives tax abatement

The Greencastle City Council voted Tuesday night to give auto parts supplier Heartland Automotive a 10-year tax abatement that promises new jobs and equipment at the local plant.

Heartland officials announced last month that they were planning to invest $1.4 million in new cutting, bonding and folding equipment with the potential for 18 new, full-time jobs.

Currently the Greencastle plant employs about 566 workers, according to information supplied by the company.

Bill Dory, director of the local economic development center, told members of the city council on Tuesday that the plans had not changed since last month when they voted to declare the plant an economic revitalization area. Such declaration is necessary for a business to qualify for a tax abatement.

Council members John Lanie, Tom Roach, Mark Hammer, Bob Sedlack and Russ Evans voted unanimously to grant the tax abatement.

Heartland manufactures injection molded car parts for Subaru, according to its website.

Meanwhile, plans for a new retail center across from the Greencastle Kroger store cleared one more hurdle Tuesday night.

Council members approved the first of two readings of an ordinance rezoning the two easternmost lots of John Cunningham's property from residential to general business. The lots are located at the intersection of Washington Street and Indianapolis Road.

Cunningham said national movie rental chain Family Video will occupy those two lots. As for the western portion of the property, Cunningham plans to demolish his Kork & Keg liquor store and construct a new one, with the addition of a smaller retail center.

In other business, the council approved the second and final reading of ordinance 2007-1, the vacation or abandonment of the alleyway between Hanna and Elm streets, located between Central and Crown streets.

The Greencastle City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at city hall.