Developers bringing restaurants, entertainment, hotels to Jeffersonville

An LLC — BF Highway 62 — has plans to build three hotels, three restaurants, a convenience store and a bank along the roadway — at least, that’s what plans submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last April show.

Flanking that project, which is headed by Ed Britton, are two other commercial developments: now from Denton Floyd Real Estate Group and the other by Clint Gutherie, although his is being developed by Jeffersonville’s Form G Companies.

Eric Goodman, CEO of Form G, said his company has already sold 1.6 acres of the Guthrie family’s property to a restaurant user. Form G is still working on signing another “significant user” that will kickoff the corridor, Goodman said. As for other uses, Goodman would like to see more restaurants along Ind. 62.

Denton Floyd, which is preoccupied with finding users for its 70-acre Bridgepointe Commons project across the highway, hasn’t signed anyone yet for its western development, but Brandon Denton, the company’s co-owner, would like to give it similar uses to the ones that are intended for Bridgepointe: entertainment venues and sit-down restaurants that will hopefully draw customers from around the community to the development.

The current clamoring for commercial land along 62 is due to several factors, Denton said.

“River Ridge is No. 1, I guess I could say,” he said. “And also, the recent connectivity to Kentucky with the East End bridge. And we did feel, overall, in general, the city of Jeffersonville is growing by leaps and bounds, and we feel like a development like this is going to help with that growth and [fill] a need to the folks in Jeffersonville and also the people coming and going to work in River Ridge for a place to sit down and eat or go and see a movie or something of that nature.”

Goodman expressed a similar sentiment.

“I think it’s action time for Jeffersonville, and it’s exciting to be part of the growth,” he said.

Denton, Goodman and Britton all are working together to make sure that their developments are complementary.

“We’ve worked real hard and been very mindful of working together and cooperating as a group so that our overall development plan or what will end up going there will be very cohesive,” Denton said.

Part of that means working with the City of Jeffersonville to add infrastructure improvements and build a road that will split off of Utica-Sellersburg Road and connect all the developments.

Phase one of the project, which includes sanitary/sewer construction, waterline construction and utility/lighting conduit, is estimated to cost $1.5 million — approximately $481,000 of which will be split among the developers. The rest will likely be funded by the city for the benefit it will bring the residents of Jeffersonville, according to Mayor Mike Moore.

The Jeffersonville Redevelopment Commission voted on Wednesday to contract out design of the road and infrastructure project for $137,500 to Jacobi, Toombs and Lanz.

The road changes will include widening Utica-Sellersburg Road on the west side and adding a turning lane. The intersection will be controlled by the same traffic signal at Gottbrath Parkway, which is being unveiled Thursday.

That’s the part that will benefit Jeffersonville residents, according to Moore. Currently, those who live on the east side of the highway can only access the thoroughfare from Utica-Sellersburg Road. Now, they’ll be able to take Gottbrath Parkway, too.

Ten percent of the TIF dollars captured by the developments past the roundabouts will go to Greater Clark County Schools.