Community Update: 'Terre Haute is definitely growing': New businesses, housing, workforce services propel region forward
David Kronke , The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
6 min read
Since taking office in January, Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun has sought to accelerate the progress surging through the city. To him, anything creating financial assets and compensating employees represents business, from retail sales to improving infrastructure.
And Sakbun believes business is good.
The mayor told the Tribune-Star, “2024 has been a year full of progress. To attract new companies and expand existing ones, workforce development programs and housing remain top priorities.”
Sakbun added, “We have met with several local companies that made the decision to expand and new companies that are relocating to Terre Haute; most notably GATX, Amazon and ZINKPOWER. The city and county are now in a unique position. The Industrial Park is starting to fill up.”
Additionally, he said, “We have had a number of food businesses, commercial businesses and entertainment businesses announce their intent to come to town, some of which have already started construction. Some building permits have been pulled and I’ll wait until their groundbreaking ceremonies to allow the developers an opportunity to celebrate their arrival.”
Restaurants, in particular, are positioned to proliferate.
“Along State Road 46 we are seeing interested parties finalize plans for construction — these projects will bring more dining options to the east side of town,” Sakbun said. “Of course, we have seen several investments made in north Terre Haute and southern Vigo County with regards to dining options.”
The ability to train people to enter the workforce has received a hearty shot in the arm in the past year, the mayor said.
“The announcement of the Goodwill Excel Center and a new WorkOne executive director are both progressing signs for our local economy,” Sakbun said. “Quality of life and infrastructure both add value to a growing local economy.”
Wabash Valley Goodwill Industries President and CEO Meredith Osburn said the Excel Center’s priority is workforce development.
“Excel Centers provide education and training programs that help adults acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to enter the workforce or transition to higher-skilled jobs,” she said. This can result in a more skilled and competitive local workforce.
Graduates of Excel Center enjoy a 40% increase in employment, and the center’s work results in higher pay for them — they outperform their peers in annual wages by 39%, Osburn said. One by-product of this is increased consumer spending in the area.
WorkOne helps both train and place employees, said its board’s executive director, Greg Lee. (Lee was recently promoted to this position, with Kristina Wright taking over his old job of WorkOne director.)
“Terre Haute is definitely growing,” Lee said. “Amidst the expansion is ENTEK, who has a lot of jobs. We met with them and we’re working with them to fill their payrolls with fully skilled employees in the jobs. We do the same thing with other employers, too.” WorkOne serves six counties across the Wabash Valley.
“Our training grant is one of our biggest successes,” he added. “We’ll give $50,000 to a company for them to train existing employees or new employees. The grant pays for their training and wages.”
Still, there are those who are unaware of WorkOne’s training services and only consider it a place for job seekers to find work.
“Some people still call us ‘the unemployment office,’” Lee said wryly. “We’re doing outreach to help people realize what all we can do.”
In addition to Excel Center and WorkOne, Mayor Sakbun also lauded Thrive West Central’s Homes for the Future project.
“The city’s housing strategy made significant strides in redevelopment in a partnership with Thrive West Central Indiana,” he said. “Our new home construction continues to surpass previous years. From rehabilitation of condemned properties to neighborhood development, our partnership with Thrive has added to our housing inventory.”
More homes translates into more workers coming to town. Sakbun pointed to other approaches to luring workers to the area.
“I am equally impressed with the city’s ability to relocate remote workers,” he said. “Our partnership with Make My Move highlights a creative new approach to economic development. Instead of multimillion dollar tax abatements, Make My Move incentivizes remote workers to relocate to Terre Haute. For every $1 invested, $11 are generated in new annual economic impact.
“The data for Terre Haute is good — $2.7 million new annual economic output generated and $286,109 projected annual state and local tax revenue all coming in, thanks to 32 new Hoosiers and their families,” he continued. “The median salary of those movers is between $81,000-$85,000. This program helps the city reverse its population decline and increase median income.”
Sakbun was also enthusiastic about science and health care merging their interests locally.
“The Rose-Hulman Ventures and Union Health partnership will bring a new surgery center and high paying jobs in the medical field to our community,” he said. “Just another example of how we can accomplish more collaboratively than rowing in separate directions.”
12 Points saw a number of new businesses open. In addition to the new food hall, Public Market, offering a wide variety of edibles, more niche shops also took the plunge.
The Magpie’s Nest offers books and plants as well as coffee and baked goods while one is perusing the store’s selection. Catmosphere offers food and the opportunity to mingle with a variety of cats available for adoption. Madam’s Curiosities offers oddities ranging from a vintage clown’s Halloween mask to deer bones.
Conversely, 12 Points also experienced Ferm Fresh’s move from its 12 Points location to a larger store on Poplar Street, as well as the closure of the record store Local Vinyl.
One of the bigger stories of the year concerns a business that has many residents conflicted. Wabash Valley Resources’ plans to construct two deep underground injection wells for carbon dioxide in West Terre Haute and Vermillion County have been protested by residents in those neighborhoods for more than a year.
In 2023, Indiana Senate Bill 451 authorized the carbon sequestration in West Terre Haute and Vermillion County, paving the way for the deep underground injection wells. Since then, citizens have publicly expressed anger that WVR was able to embark on such a project without more input from local leaders and citizens.
Additionally, Sakbun listed other accomplishments achieved by city employees.
“Our parks department has made strides in programming and park improvements,” he said. “Our Wastewater Department and City Engineering have worked around the clock to address infrastructure concerns that have plagued this city for decades.
“These are all pieces to the pie with the end goal being population growth and increasing the median income of Hoosiers through economic development,” Sakbun concluded.
