Interstate boring work begins

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Construction on a bore under Interstate 65 is slated to begin this week. The project is the first step in getting utilities to the city-owned land and, leaders hope, paving the way for development on the 18-acre site.
Weather permitting, work is slated to begin this week and be complete in 150 days. After that work is done, the city and Hartselle Utilities will begin getting sewer lines in place to service the land.
Meanwhile, Mayor Dwight Tankersley said he's still working to attract developers to the site. Tankersley traveled to Atlanta this week to attend the International Council of Shopping Centers Southeastern meeting. The meeting is a smaller version of one Tankersley attended in Las Vegas earlier this year.
He's attending the Atlanta meeting on the request of developers who are looking at the city. Representatives from Aronov Realty, the Montgomery-based development firm that has an option on the land, will also attend the conference.
In August, Aronov Realty agreed to a $2.2 million option on the land. Aronov has 330 days from the time of the contract to locate a business on the property. If it doesn't, it does not have to purchase the land.
Aronov Realty is most closely tied with the development of Publix grocery stores.