SIX-THIRTY, SEVEN-THIRTY: INDUSTRIAL PARKS GROW

The Six-Thirty Industrial Park is on either side of Southern Expressway, formerly Highway 74, in Cape Girardeau.

The Seven-Thirty Industrial Park is a few miles south, in the East Nash Road Industrial Park area, near Scott City.

The industrial parks are among the newest and fastest-growing industrial sites in the area.

Six Thirty Industrial Park was created in 1987 and has developed quickly over the past few years. It now includes more than a dozen facilities, with more prospects in the near future for its 191-acre tract north and south of Highway 74 and east from South Kingshighway to Sprigg Street.

The park is dotted with businesses ranging from manufacturing to service businesses, including Dana Corp., which manufactures automotive parts, to Mid South Steel, which moved to the area in 1994.

"Almost everything on the north side of the expressway is sold," said Ernie Beussink, one of the owners in both parks. "We still have some smaller lots there."

Beussink and Earl Norman are owners of the Six-Thirty Industrial Park. Beussink and Gene Rhodes are owners of the Seven-Thirty tract.

A number of tracts, from 4 to 12 acres, are still available on the south side of the expressway in Six-Thirty Park.

Among businesses in the park are Dana Corp., Missouri Power Trans Inc., Day Transfer, Southeast Fabrication, Federal Express, Cape Central Publishing, Genex, Mid South Steel and Ryder Trucking.

Construction is also under way on a section of the park near South Sprigg Street and Southern Expressway, for a new 19,000-square-foot state office building.

Also in the industrial park area are Florsheim Shoes and VIP Industries and ERB Equipment, which were situated alongside Highway 74 (now, Southern Expressway), before the industrial park was founded.

In the planning stages in the industrial park is a 10,000-square-foot office warehouse section, to be constructed by owners of the park.

"We felt this property had great possibilities as commercial property when we purchased it," Beussink said. "We felt it would be an asset to the city."

Dana Corp. was the first big tenant for the park. Dana selected a 15-acre site in the park to open its $23 million, 140,000-square-foot operation in 1989 and now employs more than 300 people.

Meanwhile, to the south, two new business located in the Seven-Thirty Industrial Park during the past year -- Cape Auto Auction and Delta Express.

"We have a 12,000-square-foot building already available in the park," said Beussink. "In addition we have the former Harris Truck and Trailer Sales Site, which is already leased out.

"We recently purchased another 80 acres in the Seven-Thirty park," said Beussink. The tract previously consisted of 27 acres, placing the total amount now at 107 acres.

The port and the interstate are two big advantages for the Seven-Thirty site, said Beussink, adding that having the necessary infrastructure in place (water, sewer, fire and police protection) also makes it easier to market the area to businesses and industries.

"The water line is a key," he said. "Industrial development prospects for East Nash Road have picked up considerably."