Signs of Growth: New Ivy Tech Campus Nearly Complete
As part of its recent economic development successes, the city of Marion will see a new Ivy Tech campus soon. Construction has already begun near the intersection of I69 and IN18.The city of Marion, county leaders and our state representatives teamed up to make this happen.
From the Ivy Tech newsletter:
When Thomson Consumer Electronics left Marion in 2004, the city lost more than 1,000 manufacturing jobs. That news spurred a trio of local developers into action to help improve the city. Real Estate Development, Inc., gifted 23 acres of prime real estate for construction of a new Ivy Tech campus in Marion.More News & Commentary
The partners – Henry Olynger, Patricia Edwards and Gary Oradat – couldn’t stand by and watch Marion lose ground. “There was so much negative news (following the Thomson announcement), I thought we should try to help turn things around,” Henry said. “I told Gary, ‘It’s just dirt. We need to get Marion growing again.’”
The gift served to accelerate consideration of a request for planning funds to develop a new Grant County campus and provided the College with a prominent location with interstate visibility. The site quickly attracted additional commercial development at the Indiana 18 and Interstate 69 interchange.
Ground was broken at the site in April 2006, with the campus scheduled to open in early 2008.
“A stronger Ivy Tech is just what we need to help families in Grant County,” Henry said. “I didn’t realize at the time that we were joining a new family, but the Ivy Tech team has just been wonderful to work with
