OTTAWA/FRANKLIN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INC.

The City of Ottawa is the county seat of Franklin County and is often referred to as the southwest point of the Kansas City, Lawrence and Ottawa Triangle. Proximity to the metro areas, infrastructure, improvements, and highway connectivity are some of the reasons for our recent growth. Interstate 35 crosses Franklin County diagonally from southwest to northeast. Kansas Highway 68 runs east and west, and U.S. 59 runs north and south, effectively transecting the county into quarters. The mainline of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad is also operated through the county with nearly 100 trains per day passing through.

Franklin County is blessed with leaders who recognize the importance of a strong base of diversified industries, as well as having a great location with proximity to metro areas, transportation systems, workforce and available land. This is illustrated by the investment of Wal*Mart and American Eagle Outfitters in construction of large distribution centers.

The area is ideally suited for distribution hubs as evidenced by the location of the 1.3 million square foot Wal*Mart Distribution Center just east of Ottawa, and the location of American Eagle Outfitters Distribution Center in a 1.25 million square foot facility. American Eagle employs 700 people. The Wal*Mart Distribution Center, built in 1995, continues to be the largest employer in the county with 1,500 people.

Kalmar/Ottawa Industries, the world's largest builder of yard tractors for export/import facilities continues to expand its production and has added an assembly for forklift tractors. Kennel-Air, the second largest pet carrier builder and distributor in the world, continues to expand. All of our available industrial facilities are occupied and producing or distributing goods.

Commercial and retail growth has also increased. Retail space in south Ottawa is nearly 100% occupied. Downtown Ottawa storefronts are at a 90% occupancy, with many having been recently remodeled and receiving facade renovations through assistance from Ottawa Main Street Association. A new bank facility has been built at the site of the former bowling alley and another local bank is breaking ground in 2008 on their new offices at 21st and Main Street. The former middle school at 5th and Main has been rehabilitated into moderate-income senior housing and is currently fully occupied.

Wellsville has a grocery store and is working hard to maintain a retail mix in its downtown.  Richmond has seen growth in retail business with the addition of a furniture store, storage units and a prefabricated building supplier.  Princeton has seen the remodel and expansion of it's convenience store and the addition of a restaurant. Lane has seen the expansion of a long-time local engraving business and the addition of second engraving business.  Pomona has seen expansion of local businesses, Buzzard's Pizza and Casey's General Store, as well as the addition of a restaurant, Leroy's.

Franklin County remains a strong agricultural area. Soybeans, grain and livestock are the dominant farm products. The Ottawa Cooperative Association has become a local success story with 13 branches, 9,000,000 bushels of storage and combined sales of over $90,000,000 with 60 employees. Kansas State University Agricultural Extension Department maintains the East Central Kansas Experimental Farm near Ottawa.

Franklin County's population growth places it in the top five counties in the state. According to the latest census estimates from the State of Kansas, Franklin County has a population of over 28,000, far outstripping the growth of Kansas in population as well as job growth percentage.