MONROE - A dozen Quest Industrial employees cheered when Mayor Bill Ross announced Monday, June 24, that members of the Plan Commission had reviewed the company's site and building plans and they were good to go for building a new facility in the north industrial park.
The Plan Commission voted unanimously to approve the plans for a 24,000-square-foot building that includes a warehouse.
Don Wickstrum, founder and owner of Quest Industrials LLC, had to postpone his request for the approval June 12, when he learned at a commission meeting that his plans lack a sufficient number of parking spaces for the site, among other requirements as required by building code. The site needed 24 parking spaces because of the size of the building, despite the fact that he has only 13 employees working at the robotics production facility. Wickstrum had planned to create 17 parking spots.
The new facility will sit on a site of nearly nine acres.
The new facility will allow "more room to move, grow and work efficiently," Wickstrum said, surrounded by his employees after the meeting.
A company that promotes work efficiency in other companies, Quest, ironically, has outgrown in its own inefficient work space near downtown Monroe.
"There wasn't enough room to set up the whole production line," Wickstrum said.
The new pre-made panel facility, being designed, engineered and built by Stonemill Construction of Monticello, is the "most energy-efficient building on the market," Wickstrum added.
Quest Industrial, specializing in customized and high-tech robotics manufacturing, was being lured to build in other communities. In a special session April 29, the City of Monroe Common Council approved a $100,000 forgivable loan to the company, as recommended by the city Community Improvement Committee.
Wickstrum said, besides standing behind his company with its loan offer, the city - including the Plan Commission, engineering department, building inspector department, Mayor Bill Ross, Alderman Tyler Schultz, and Pam Christopher of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce - helped to get the project on the road quickly.
"They wanted us to stay here, build here and grow here," Wickstrum said.
The facility is expected to be complete by Dec. 31.
Christopher said the forgivable loan was a way for the city to impart job creation and capital investment. Woodford State Bank is also backing the company's project.
The Plan Commission voted unanimously to approve the plans for a 24,000-square-foot building that includes a warehouse.
Don Wickstrum, founder and owner of Quest Industrials LLC, had to postpone his request for the approval June 12, when he learned at a commission meeting that his plans lack a sufficient number of parking spaces for the site, among other requirements as required by building code. The site needed 24 parking spaces because of the size of the building, despite the fact that he has only 13 employees working at the robotics production facility. Wickstrum had planned to create 17 parking spots.
The new facility will sit on a site of nearly nine acres.
The new facility will allow "more room to move, grow and work efficiently," Wickstrum said, surrounded by his employees after the meeting.
A company that promotes work efficiency in other companies, Quest, ironically, has outgrown in its own inefficient work space near downtown Monroe.
"There wasn't enough room to set up the whole production line," Wickstrum said.
The new pre-made panel facility, being designed, engineered and built by Stonemill Construction of Monticello, is the "most energy-efficient building on the market," Wickstrum added.
Quest Industrial, specializing in customized and high-tech robotics manufacturing, was being lured to build in other communities. In a special session April 29, the City of Monroe Common Council approved a $100,000 forgivable loan to the company, as recommended by the city Community Improvement Committee.
Wickstrum said, besides standing behind his company with its loan offer, the city - including the Plan Commission, engineering department, building inspector department, Mayor Bill Ross, Alderman Tyler Schultz, and Pam Christopher of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce - helped to get the project on the road quickly.
"They wanted us to stay here, build here and grow here," Wickstrum said.
The facility is expected to be complete by Dec. 31.
Christopher said the forgivable loan was a way for the city to impart job creation and capital investment. Woodford State Bank is also backing the company's project.