Marion Iron breaks ground for relocation

When one of the oldest continuously operated Marion businesses moves to a new location in the fall, it will pave the way for future development along the community's central corridor.

Marion Iron Co. broke ground Thursday for a new 18-acre facility at 4000 Third Ave. in the Marion Industrial Center. It will replace the scrap metal recycler and steel supplier's existing 6.5-acre location on either side of the 2600 block of Seventh Avenue.

'We'll have a lot more room for development and expanding our business,” said Jim Brown, president of Marion Iron and co-owner of the business with his brother, Marvin Brown.

Marion Iron's move was made possible when Genesis Equities of Marion recognized a potentially profitable redevelopment opportunity. Genesis offered to develop Marion Iron's new facility in exchange for the old Marion Iron site.

A tax increment financing agreement with the city of Marion allowed Genesis to make the deal a reality. The city will pay Genesis to use a portion of the existing Marion Iron site for a new roundabout that will provide motorists access to the new Sixth Avenue corridor to the west and Seventh Avenue to the east.