Massive three-story, 15-acre building set for Tipton County cornfield

TIPTON - Where there is now a rolling farm field, eventually a three-story building covering 15 acres will be located if German manufacturer Getrag Corporate Group goes forward with plans to construct a new transmission plant.

The building would be located on the northeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 31 and Ind. 28.

The Tipton County Plan Commission on Thursday approved a site plan for construction of the 650,000-square-foot building requested by Getrag. The investment is believed to be $560 million and could lead to 1,200 jobs.

Production of Getrag transmissions is slated to begin in February 2009, with the intent to manufacture up to 500,000 transmissions per year for a new minivan being developed by DaimlerChrysler.

With approval of the site plan construction could begin once the land is purchased and permits are obtained, said Jim Carter, director of the Tipton County Plan Commission.

Richard Torri, with the Michigan based architectural firm of Harley Ellis and Devereau, made a presentation to commission members about what the plant could look like.

The site plan included three buildings, a manufacturing plant, energy center and logistics area that would encompass 650,000 square feet with possible expansion to the north and south in the future.

To the west of the manufacturing building was an office complex and employee entrance with parking for up to 580 cars and an access road coming off Ind. 28. A second access road for truck traffic was located on the west edge of the 230-acre site.

Ryan Bergman, whose family owns the farm to the east of the project, said the east access road is built on property not currently optioned by the Tipton County Economic Development Foundation.

Commission members did not address Bergman's statement.

Torri said flags of Germany, the United States, Indiana and Tipton County would be displayed along the entrances.

The Tipton County Economic Development Foundation has optioned 230 acres for possible purchase for the site of the Getrag plant.

Torri said a fence would be constructed around the buildings for security purposes and a guard house would be adjacent to the logistics center.

The building would be 30 feet high and covered in metal siding, he said. There would be glass panels in the exterior walls and numerous sky lights in the ceiling.

Torri said an office area runs the entire length of the production area.

Commission member Charles Colbert said the community has a lot of questions about the planned development.

"Good projects sell themselves," Colbert said. "A lot of questions could be answered in a meeting with the public.

"Some of you dropped the ball in making the public aware of this project," Colbert told local officials dealing with the project. "Let the people come and hear about the project and get their questions answered."

Enthusiasm for the project was high early in the process but is dwindling, he said.

"You need to get answers to the community, and the quicker the better," Colbert said.