Staff Reports
Motorists needing to renew their driver’s license or get plates for their vehicles soon will head to a new Columbus location for such services.
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced Friday that the Columbus license branch is relocating to 4445 Ray Boll Blvd. on the Columbus Municipal Airport AirPark.
The current branch, which has been located on the east side of Columbus at 745 Schnier Drive, will continue to serve customers through Nov. 17, the state agency said.
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Customers will begin utilizing the new location, about 4.5 miles away, on Nov. 20.
The relocation will include customer access to a new 24-hour BMV Connect kiosk. It is a new concept in customer service which gives Hoosiers the option to visit a BMV branch any time of day to complete routine transactions, the agency said. Customers will be able to use the self-service terminal to conduct multiple BMV transactions, it said.
“We have been waiting for months on this announcement,” airport director Brian Payne said. “We have been looking for ways to bring more traffic out to the AirPark, and this will be a huge draw.”
With more individuals conducting business in the AirPark, which has primarily commercial and education tenants, relocation of the BMV branch could spur additional development, he said.
“It has a long-term benefit for the entire facility,” Payne said.
One hope is that a second restaurant — besides Blackerby’s Hanger 5, located inside the airport terminal — would open in the airpark, he said.
The location on 3.15 acres at the corner of Ray Boll Boulevard and Poshard Drive will actually house two government operations inside the 17,510-square-foot building, Payne said.
Announcement of the second government tenant is expected in early December, Payne said. Combined, the two government entities will have a workforce of 70 employees, he said.
A lease for the property with M Four Properties, a privately-held company from Versailles, was approved by the Board of Aviation Commissioners in February.
The lease, which went into effect June 1, is $3,000 per acre for 20 years with two options to renew for 10-year periods, Payne said.
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For a complete list of Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch locations and hours, or to complete an online transaction, visit IN.gov/BMV.
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