County Road 200S officially was renamed Comfort Drive on Thursday by Montgomery County officials, reflecting the significance and welcoming new manufacturer Tempur Sealy to the community.
“This was not just about opening a new road. It’s much more significant than that,” said Montgomery County Commissioner John Frey. “This is about a small, quiet community coming together with a vision for growth and prosperity ... This project required taking a steadfast approach to overcome many challenges and finding ways to turn ideas into reality for the betterment of the Montgomery County community.”
Tempur Sealy plans to add 300-plus local jobs and the facility is expected to be the largest Tempur Sealy manufacturing facility in the world.
The ribbon cutting not only celebrates the opening of the newly constructed Comfort Drive near the Tempur Sealy facilities, but also serves as an example of progress and delayed gratification.
“This is the result of years of planning, educating, collaborating, consensus building and assembling a team of doers who never wavered from a clear vision of creating a community that not only current residents will be proud of and want their kids to stay and raise their families in, but also creating a community people outside our boundaries want to be a part of as well,” Frey said.
The project took 16 months from concept to completion, was a key component in Tempur Sealy selecting Montgomery County for its new manufacturing facility, and is a part of a much larger plan for the county.
“Several years ago, Montgomery County and the Redevelopment Commission worked together to identify this corridor as a focus area for development,” said Ron Dickerson, Redevelopment Commission president. “There are many moving pieces in and around the TIF district, and limited resources at our disposal. It’s important that we carry on with the already established vision. We need to and will continue to pursue the county’s infrastructure requirements in and around this TIF area.”
All parties involved will continue to seek opportunities, learn from processes and take positive steps toward making Montgomery County an even better place to live, work and play.
“With Tempur Sealy now securely in the county, it is a good time to reflect on the evolution of the effort — how the process went, what lessons were learned and how to best position Montgomery County to secure the next important, community building project,” Dickerson added.
The Nucor Road TIF District was established in the early 2000’s to promote economic growth, which was initiated with a new sewer treatment plant and associated infrastructure. In addition, a county-wide comprehensive plan was undertaken in 2018 identifying areas for “smart growth.” Expansion of sanitary sewer, water and road improvements are still envisioned.
“Many people came together to make this dream project a reality,” said Tom Klein, Montgomery County Administrator. “The City of Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Redevelopment Commission, County Commissioners, Chamber of Commerce, Lochmueller Group, RQAW, Tempur Sealy and the countless volunteers and supporters who have worked so hard to achieve so much should be proud of what transpired here today.”
