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City council approves transfer of about 15 acres to BDA for 20,000-square-foot spec industrial building
Summary
The Bartlesville City Council voted unanimously to transfer roughly 15 acres in the Bartlesville Industrial Park to the Bartlesville Development Authority so the BDA can build a 20,000-square-foot speculative industrial building and parcel the site for future expansion and an immediate tenant expansion for a local manufacturer.
Chris Batchelder, vice president of business development for the Bartlesville Development Authority, asked the Bartlesville City Council on March 3 to transfer approximately 15 acres in the Bartlesville Industrial Park to the BDA to enable construction of a 20,000-square-foot speculative industrial building.
Batchelder said the BDA has run out of ready industrial real estate and that a spec building would let the city recruit new companies that require specific facility characteristics such as ceiling height and floor depth. “The momentum is fantastic and we’re excited about continuing that this evening,” Batchelder told the council.
The BDA plans to divide the roughly 15-acre tract into three 5‑acre parcels. The initial phase would use the southernmost 5 acres for a 20,000-square-foot shell building that could be retrofitted for a tenant’s needs; the site design allows future expansion that could bring the campus to as much as about 80,000 square feet. Batchelder said one of the parcels is earmarked for an immediate expansion by Phillips Precision Machine, a local firm the BDA described as “busting at the seams.” Batchelder said Phillips currently employs about 45 people and could substantially expand with additional space.
Council members asked about how the building would be designed to meet market demand. Batchelder said CBRE, the commercial real estate firm the BDA uses, helped define size, ceiling height and other specs to match current demand and that tenants typically pay for specialty equipment while the BDA can provide limited tenant improvements when needed.
Council discussion also addressed how the BDA would fund construction. Batchelder said the building would be financed from the BDA’s real estate account — money generated from prior BDA transactions, including the sale of a former Siemens building and an ABB deal — not direct new appropriations from the city’s general fund. “This will be funded by the BDA through our real estate account,” Batchelder said.
Council moved and unanimously approved the transfer. Roll-call votes recorded by the city clerk show all voting members in favor.
Why it matters: The transfer gives the BDA immediate control of a build-ready industrial parcel and a tool to recruit manufacturers and other primary employers, which the BDA and council said could generate jobs, local spending and future tax revenue.
What’s next: The BDA will proceed with design and marketing of the 20,000-square-foot building and pursue tenants. The transfer includes flexibility for Phillips Precision Machine to expand on adjacent parcels if it chooses.
