HOBART | The City Council gave tentative approval for 10-year commercial tax abatement to the latest phase of the North Wind Industrial Park at its council meeting Wednesday.

The Redevelopment Commission also must approve the abatement before the council takes a final vote on the issue in September.

The abatement was granted to Becknell Development, which has developed the project. It applies to 150,000 square feet of an industrial building that will be leased to tenant businesses in the industrial park, which is located off the southeast corner of 61st Avenue and Mississippi Street.

Developers expect the facility to generate about 80 construction jobs with a payroll of about $2.4 million while the project is being built. Construction should begin in September and be complete by March. The estimated value of the project is $6 million, according to paperwork submitted to the city.

The completed facility also could create 75 to 100 new jobs from tenant businesses, generating an additional $2.1 million in payroll.

Construction on the park began on 74 acres in 2004, and currently includes about 174 acres with five buildings totalling about 420,000 square feet. The businesses employ about 700 people.

The park is continuing to expand.

Becknell Development currently has a request before the Plan Commission to rezone 35 acres north of 69th Avenue and south of the Grand Trunk Railroad. That plan has drawn some criticism from neighboring residents, who are concerned about drainage and the effect the development might have on their property values.