Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 13, 1994 TAG: 9410140045
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
The proposal is under consideration by the county Board of Supervisors.
The exchange would allow Mod-U-Kraf Homes to acquire an 18-acre site in the Franklin County-Rocky Mount Industrial Park for a 90,000-square-foot expansion that would create 60 new jobs.
In return, the county would get 20 acres of land Mod-U-Kraf owns adjacent to its modular housing factory on Virginia 40, said Franklin County Administrator Macon Sammons.
Pending approval of the land swap, Sammons said the county has several options it can consider for the Mod-U-Kraf property.
The 20-acre tract is near a site for a proposed Wal-Mart superstore, and county officials expect additional development along Virginia 40 just outside the Rocky Mount town limits. Plans call for widening Virginia 40 along the Wal-Mart site and the Mod-U-Kraf tract to four lanes.
"It's just getting too congested out here," said Dale Powell, Mod-U-Kraf's president.
Powell said the company's plans call for an expansion to be completed next year. Mod-U-Kraf, which marks its 25th anniversary in Franklin County later this year, makes modular homes, apartments and commercial buildings.
The company will continue to operate its current facility, which employs 100 workers, Powell said.
The 18-acre site in the industrial park is to be reproportioned and realigned. The county announced its intent last week to buy an additional 7.7 acres of land next to the park to add to two vacant parcels - on one of which Mod-U-Kraf would build its planned expansion.
The vacant tracts also will be realigned to make them more suitable to prospects, according to Assistant County Administrator David Laurrell.
A public hearing on the proposed land exchange will be held Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors meeting room in the county courthouse.
by CNB