New industrial park coming to Barren County

April 28, 2020

Krista Garrison,

GLASGOW, Ky. – The Barren County Economic Authority acquired more than 150 acres of land for a new industrial park hoping it will bring more businesses to the area.

The location of the land is one mile from the Highland Glen Industrial Park on New Bowling Green Road in Glasgow.

Altogether, it’s 152 acres costing $684,000.

The next steps will be a Phase I Environmental Study, Stream & Wetlands Assessment and an Archaeological survey.

The new industrial park property is located just 10 minutes from Interstate 65. Officials say its central location is within a day’s drive to 60 plus percent of the U.S. population and manufacturing facilities.

The Highland Glen Industrial Park is running low on available acreage, according to Maureen Carpenter, the executive director of the BCEA.

“We were down to about 90 acres. We do have a 23-acre build ready site, but that is really not enough if you are going to take industrial development seriously and try to recruit new industries to the area or even have room for your existing businesses to expand,” said Carpenter.

The need to expand is bigger now than ever.

Industry and the economy have been damaged because of COVID-19, and Carpenter believes this acquisition will help the area pull through by offering new job opportunities.

“We have pharmaceutical packaging here, so perhaps maybe some pharmaceutical manufacturing would be good, also looking at food processing. There is a lot of agriculture in the area so if there is an opportunity that those raw materials are available here, that just makes sense for us to go after those types of businesses as well,” said Carpenter.

Those businesses making their way into Glasgow will work to grow industries and the economy alike.

“Having that industrial growth is so important. Again, Glasgow is a strong community, it’s a great community and I think we need to be marketing that and we need to be bringing businesses here that are going to help stimulate and regrow Glasgow to what it used to be,” said Carpenter.