COLUMBUS, Ind. — The city is planning to reimburse a restaurant company for infrastructure costs related to the Olive Garden that is coming to Columbus.
The Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety on Tuesday approved a reimbursement agreement with Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden, that would provide $174,400 in Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) dollars if and when construction is finished on the location on the east side near U.S. 31 (National Road).
A letter Mayor Mary Ferdon wrote to a representative with Darden Restaurants notes the site of the proposed restaurant— at 975 Creekview Drive on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Creekview Drive, next to Kohl’s — lacks adequate natural gas and sanitary sewer line access.
The mayor went on to say the city would reimburse the cost for some development of the site, which she said would help attract visitors, support existing businesses, while also benefiting future business that may want to locate in the same area.
The work the city is intending to reimburse Darden for includes:
- Sanitary Line 8” at 555’ ($48,000)
- Trenching 555’ at varying depth for slope ($55,000)
- Tunnel under 2-lane road or bore ($27,000)
- Fill trench, repair parking lot and landscaping ($44,400)
For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
