COVETED STATE CERTIFICATION AWARDED TO RENDATA INDUSTRIAL PARK

By Maya Moore, journalist, for Oregon Legal Journal.  www.oregonlegaljournal.com

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Industrialists looking to set up shop on a Decision Ready commercial site will have another reason to eye Southern Oregon, and more specifically Rendata Industrial Park, a 175 acre project-ready site that combines residential and industrial zoning. Located in Merlin on the outskirts of Grants Pass, Rendata Industrial Park stands out as the first state-certified industrial site in Josephine County, and the largest in Southern Oregon.

The Decision Ready certification is backed by the state of Oregon through the Certified Industrial Lands Program, an endeavor to attract new industrial ventures by providing sites that are “fast tracked” for construction within a period of six months or less.  Lead developer Patrick Engle has already been managing leasing and sales for some time, and the Rendata site currently hosts five companies, mainly in the wood and pulp industry. The aim is to bring in more of these types of local rural artisans, some of whom run businesses illegally from their homes because it’s more affordable.

Developers have expressed confidence the designation will also attract out of state and international companies.The push for certification was led in part by the Ausland Group, an engineering and construction firm with offices in Medford, Ashland, and Grants Pass. To prepare their case, the team was required to outline all potential problems that could hamper development of the site, and describe research-based solutions for each problem; the state’s approval of those solutions paved the way for certification.

Aaron Ausland, CEO of the Ausland Group, highlights the significance of the state designation, “The state is putting their weight behind the project,” he explains, “so they can say ‘Here are three sites we have in Oregon. We guarantee them.’”

He points to Facebook as an example of the type of big enterprise a shovel-ready site can attract.

When fully developed, Rendata Industrial Park will provide cottage industrialists with a mix of affordable housing and a commercial workspace located in a business hub, a situation Ausland hopes will provide synergy for small business people who prefer living in the country. The expanded site is designed to accommodate:

o 71 acres of straight industrial zoning

o 40 acres of industrial zoning with a residential live-work component

o 55 acres of straight residential “Park model” homes for rent or ownership, in a hillside area overlooking the development, and

o 10 acres of RV Park lots

To learn more about Rendata Industrial Park, and view a Master Plan, visit  http://www.rendata-industrialpark.com/en/.

Ausland Group offers complete capital improvement expertise in development consulting, engineering, and construction.   For more information, visit us at https://auslandgroup.com/