The Sazerac Company Announces Plans to Revitalize former Pillsbury Plant with 100+ New Jobs in New Albany

Today, at a press conference inside the former Pillsbury Plant, The Sazerac Company announced plans to establish a new bottling plant in New Albany, creating up to 110 jobs by 2021. Sazerac was joined by state and local officials to celebrate the news.

The Sazerac Company, one of the United States’ oldest family-owned and privately held distillers, has plans to invest $66 million to renovate the 455,000 square foot former General Mills Pillsbury plant in New Albany. The 58-acre facility has been vacant since 2016.

Mayor Gahan speaks with Jeff Conder, Vice President of Manufacturing for Sazerac Co., and Matt Hall, Executive Vice President of One Southern Indiana.

Mayor Gahan addresses the crowd at the announcement of Sazerac's plans to the purchase of the old General Mills Pillsbury facility.

Jeff Conder, Vice President of Manufacturing for Sazerac Co., with Mayor Gahan.

“When General Mills announced it would close its doors a couple years ago, we worked hard to help the employees most affected by the news. With Sazerac on the verge of coming to New Albany, I can’t help but marvel at how far we’ve come,” said New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan. “I would like to welcome the Sazerac team to New Albany with a pledge to support their efforts to put down roots here and prosper along with us. Sazerac has a rich and storied past, and I am certain this quality company will be embraced by our community. We are excited, and we expect that this will be the beginning of a long and prosperous friendship between Sazerac and the city of New Albany.”

Local and State officials present Sazerac with a welcome gift to New Albany.

Sazerac has plans to create up to 110 new manufacturing jobs, including 50 new employees by the end of this year, with average salaries above the state and county average wage.

Facade Improvement Program Underway for Historic District & Market Street Median Improvements Begin Soon

Downtown Façade Improvement Program

The City of New Albany’s Downtown Façade Improvement Program is underway. This program was designed to assist building owners in the Downtown Historic District improve the facades of their historic structures. Property owners will be reimbursed for 75% of the cost of façade improvements (up to $100,000), with property owners paying 25% of the work.

This project is funded through the $5 million awarded by the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County for multiple projects in downtown New Albany and along the Ohio River Greenway. (More information available here: http://newalbanycityhall.com/home/2017/3/27/horseshoe-foundation-gives-5-million-gift-to-city)

The old Good Times bar on Market St.

Facade Improvements underway.

Renovated facade, set to be the home of Pints & Union.

New Albany has a plethora of beautiful, historic buildings in its downtown. Unfortunately, over the years, some of these buildings have had windows shuttered and closed off, original brick walls painted over, and historic character lost. Some buildings have even been painted together to appear as one structure. This project will seek to revitalize, refurbish, and redevelop buildings and facades in the downtown area, reinvigorating these historic structures to their original historic look, including improved windows and uncovered original brickwork.

The Schmitt Building, before Facade improvements began. 

Work is underway at Schmitt Furniture to remove the old paint and improve the facades of multiple buildings along State Street.

Twenty-five (25) separate façade improvement and historic preservation projects are underway, totaling $1,000,000. Some of the façade improvements began last fall, but the majority of the work is being completed now as the weather starts to warm up consistently.

Jerry Finn, Executive Director of the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, is excited to see the work begin.

"When the Horseshoe Foundation committed $20 million to have the YMCA built fifteen years ago, a board member noted that we need to continue to pay attention to our community to enhance economic development. The Foundation’s commitment to this project is a way to preserve the beautiful historic structures of the city as well as encourage the growth of business. We are excited to see the transformation of these buildings and streetscapes which will improve quality of place in our community," stated Mr. Finn.

MARKET STREET IMPROVEMENTS

Construction will begin soon on another project under the grant from Horseshoe, a beautification and median-improvement project along Market Street. This project aims at both beautifying and improving the safety and walkability of the Market Street corridor, while retaining the unique historic feel. It will include enhanced crosswalks and intersections with decorative pavers, improved pedestrian safety and walkability, all with a focus on the historic character of the area. Work will also be done to enhance the overall tree canopy with native and proper species and improve the landscaping and foliage for both beautification and improved safety and sight-lines.

Special thanks to the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County for funding these wonderful projects in downtown New Albany!

Upcoming City Events Guide

Curious about upcoming City Events? We've compiled some of our favorite upcoming events right here in one place to make it easy for you. Scroll down the page and be sure to make plans with your friends and family to join us for some fun!

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Sunday May 20th

The Back in Time Car Club  and Mayor Jeff Gahan Spring 2018 Car Show is this Sunday, May 20th! The show begins at 10am and runs until 4pm in historic downtown New Albany. All proceeds will benefit the New Albany Fire Department's Toy Drive and the New Albany Police Department Cops for Kids programs. Come join the fun and see some awesome cars this Sunday!

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School is almost out for summer! The Summer Break Series is our way of celebrating that, so come on down to Bicentennial Park in June for some family-friendly ways to start your weekend in New Albany. 

JUNE 1 - Full Contact Karaoke

Have you ever wanted to sing Karaoke with a full band backing you up? Well, now's your chance! Full Contact Karaoke will be at Bicentennial Park on Friday, June 1 from 6:30 - 9:00pm. You can even sign up to sing IN ADVANCE so that you reserve your slot in the spotlight!

Head on over to http://www.fullcontactkaraokeband.com/newalbany to sign up!

JUNE 8 - Epic Game Night

Relive all of your childhood favorite games in OVERSIZED ways! Oversized and Giant versions of Jenga, Checkers, Connect-4, Uno, and more will be featured at Bicentennial Park on June 8 from 6-8pm.

JUNE 15 - Trivia Night

Calling all trivia aficionados - now's your chance to shine at Bicentennial Park! Grab your best trivia team (up to 8 players) and come to Bicentennial Park to compete for some great prizes, including gift cards to some wonderful New Albany businesses! Trivia will run from 6-8pm. Trivia Night is sponsored by local law firm, McNeely Stephenson.

JUNE 22 - New Albany Scavenger Hunt

Can your team be the first to find all the clues? On June 22nd, grab some friends and meet at Bicentennial Park at 6pm to try to be the first to solve the New Albany Scavenger Hunt! Special thanks to our event partners, Develop New Albany!

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JUNE 30 - New Albany Drone Festival

The New Albany Drone Festival returns this year, moving to a new location at Silver Street Park. This event features presentations on the latest drone technology for photography, racing, and hobbyist enthusiasts. In the afternoon, the New Albany Drone Cup will begin, an epic first-person-view drone race! This year's race will count as a regional qualifier for the Drone Racing Multi-GP Championship. Special thanks to our partners at the Louisville Drone Racing League.

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JULY 3 - Riverfront Independence Day Celebration

The annual Riverfront Independence Day Celebration will be on July 3, 2018 at the scenic Riverfront Amphitheater. This event is fully sponsored and presented by the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County! Come join us for great music from the Louisville Crashers, local food and drink, fireworks, and more! The event will begin at 6pm.

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JULY 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, & 21 - Theatreworks EDU on the Riverfront

TheatreWorksEDU, the educational division of TheatreWorks of SoIN, is pleased to announce that they will be offering two opportunities for students to perform at the New Albany Amphitheatre this July.  Sponsored by Mayor Jeff Gahan & the City of New Albany, and the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, TheatreWorksEDU will be presenting Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS and Once on This Island JR. 

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AUGUST 3 - Bicentennial Park Concert Series Returns!

The Bicentennial Park Concert Series will run on Friday nights from 6:30-9:30pm at Bicentennial Park in historic downtown New Albany. Starting August 3, concerts will be at the park every Friday up until the Harvest Homecoming Parade (last concert on Friday, October 5th).

$5 Million Worth of Infrastructure Projects Approved

Two major infrastructure investments were approved at this morning’s Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. The Board approved contracts for the Charlestown Road Infrastructure and Road Improvement Project along with approving contracts for the East Main Street Infrastructure and Road Improvement Project (from State Street to East 5th Street).

These two projects total nearly $5 million worth of infrastructure improvements in New Albany.

“These two road improvements projects add to the growing list of roadway, stormwater, sewer, and other infrastructure improvements currently ongoing or planned for the near future in New Albany,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan.

The improvements along Charlestown Road will span from Hedden Court to Genung Drive. Planned improvements include the full construction of a curb, gutter, and 6-foot sidewalks on both sides of the road to help improve pedestrian safety throughout the corridor. A newly constructed storm water system will also be in place to assist in drainage. The road will also be milled, widened, and then repaved to 31 feet wide, allowing for a new lane of traffic. This new lane will allow for two-way left-turn lanes, improving the flow of traffic along Charlestown Road.

Infrastructure improvements along East Main Street will span from State Street to East 5th. Planned improvements include addition of on-street parking on both sides of the street throughout the project. Bump out features and bike lanes are planned to assist with bicycle-users and pedestrian safety. Sidewalks will also be updated with ADA compliant crosswalk ramps and new construction where needed. Lighting improvements are also part of the project, which will help improve pedestrian visibility and safety.

Historic Preservation - Second Baptist Church Restoration Wins Award

The Second Baptist Church, also known as the Town Clock Church, is one of the most storied historic buildings in downtown New Albany. First constructed in 1852, the church (and its iconic steeple), served as a beacon of hope and freedom along the Underground Railroad.

The Cook Cup for Outstanding restoration, awarded to Second Baptist Church in New Albany.

Unfortunately, the steeple was damaged during a large storm in 1915, and funds were needed to repair and restore the historic structure. In July of 2013, the New Albany City Council approved appropriating $75,000 towards the restoration of the Second Baptist Church steeple for historic preservation purposes.

Second Baptist Church, pictured in 2016, without its iconic steeple.

“Historic Preservation is extremely important to us,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Our river city is over 200 years old, and some of its buildings are starting to show it. By restoring these historic structures, we can preserve their rich history so that future generations can learn from and utilize them.”

With financial backing from the City of New Albany, the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, the Friends of the Town Clock Church, and numerous other contributors, the steeple was eventually restored, along with other restoration efforts at the structure.

Recently, those efforts were recognized by Indiana Landmarks, who presented the Cook Cup for Outstanding Restoration to New Albany’s Second Baptist Church. According to a release form Indiana Landmarks, the Cook Cup ""recognizes the owner of a significant historic structure that has been transformed through a restoration that meets the highest standards in method, materials and design. The judges also take into consideration the importance of the structure, its condition at the outset, and the project's community impact."

"We really do appreciate everything that the community has done for Second Baptist to help restore the building," stated Pastor Joyce Marshall of the Second Baptist Church. "Putting the steeple back on the church with the light shining is a reminder that we are all working together – that we can come together and work together in that light."

"The community response has been great, and we thank everyone in the community for their support," stated Pastor LeRoy Marshall of the Second Baptist Church. "Now it is time for us to give back and do some outreach in the community."

Second Baptist Church on Main Street in New Albany.

As visitors cross into New Albany over the Ohio River, the historic steeple is once again visible.