New 3-Story Building Could Become Marion's Landmark

Phil High hopes to start a domino effect: extend Marion's uptown by a block with a three-story executive business complex in the style of Marion's historic uptown, which will inspire others to do the same.

"I love Marion. I want Marion to prosper," he said. "Once they see a little traction, I think [further construction] will go."

The Marion City Council just voted for a TIF agreement with the owner of to construct a three-story business complex on the corner of 13th Street and Seventh Avenue.

Council members were excited about the prospect of an executive building complex. Council Members Craig Adamson and Joe Spinks, in addition to Mayor Allen "Snooks" Bouska, lauded the project.

Spinks and Adamson said with the historic design and location at the end of Marion's uptown it could become landmark for the city. Additionally, it could also encourage others to invest in Marion as it re-tools the downtown area to highlight Seventh Avenue as a destination.

"I think it’s a wonderful," said Marion City Council Member Craig Addison, who abstained from the vote as he hopes to move his business to the building.

City officials have agreed on a $500,000 TIF agreement, which means the city will not take tax dollars from the building for its first five years. They have decided to split that money in two: giving High a $250,000 grant, then using the remaining dollars as essentially a $250,000 discount off his tax bill for the first five years.

High said his plans originally called for a one-story building, solely to house a new location for his diamond shop. But he soon realized he could bring a three-story complex, with four floors of a little less than 5,000 square feet, all in a building that matches the historic buildings in Marion's uptown.

It could be a landmark for the city he said he loves.

"I didn’t want to do it for me," he said. "I wanted to do it for me and the community as well."

If all goes according to plan, High said he hopes to start construction on the building next spring. And if the building works out financially, he said there's no reason to stop there.

"If I do this one, I'd want to do another," he said.