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proud of his family roots , which can be traced back to the area for several generations . “ I love my job and my community . Having the opportunity to make a difference in the downtown Jeffersonville district makes the job rewarding . My family has links to our area that go back many generations , and to be a part of the effort to improve the area is an honor . I also love working with great people . From collaborating with business owners to help them achieve their goals , to meeting friendly people at events we host , to coordinating with the many volunteers , we do what we can to make our projects successful .”
In closing , Ellis said , “ Jeffersonville Main Street promotes downtown Jeffersonville and its amazing variety of small businesses . The area has retained much of its charm while still growing to meet the needs of the future . Most of the amenities are within a five- to ten-minute stroll . In addition , the Big Four Bridge brings thousands of walkers and bicyclists to our community . Downtown Jeffersonville is a place where small-town charm meets big opportunity . We host events all year round and we market through our social media channels . People can sign up for our weekly e-newsletter , which has lots of info on events happening in the downtown area . They can also join us in our efforts by supporting our work through making a donation or volunteering to help .”
JEFFBOAT PROJECT SEEKS TO PROVIDE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Former shipyard being redeveloped into housing , entertainment hub
After the closing of the Jeffboat shipyard in 2018 , work has been ongoing to reimagine the area into a place that Jeffersonville and Southern Indiana “ can be proud of .”
Work has continued for this Jeffboat project which will potentially turn the area into a “ 100-acre village ,” complete with walking trails , restaurants , condos , townhouses and other facilities for public and private use .
Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore said Jeffboat , which is owned by the American Commercial Barge Line , was the city ’ s largest employer , employing hundreds of thousands of people .
“ When the news was announced they were going to close down , it was heartbreaking for ... not only the city , but for a lot of families that came to Jeffersonville and lay down the roots here ,” he said .
George Piccioni , Vice President of Business Development at ACBL , said the shipyard was founded in 1830s , and ACBL purchased it around 1938 .
After it closed , Piccioni said they went through a multi-year process to determine what was the best use for the site . He said they included different stakeholders from day one , including the city and its residents through a few different public meetings . “ We had a lot of input from those groups that we took into account ,” he said . “ When you look at it , there ’ s really going to be something for everyone ,” Piccioni said . Moore said he ’ s also interested in seeing the Ohio River Greenway continue along the coastline . “ What we want to see is not only a residential and commercial development that ’ s going to be the top notch project in the Midwest , if not the United States , but an opportunity to continue our greenway ,” he said .
Piccioni said this project will take 10 to 12 years in different phases . Last year , ACBL searched and selected the Columbus , Ohio-based developer Thrive Companies to develop the area .
“ We found somebody that we ’ re just thrilled with ,” he said about Thrive .
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