SPRINGVILLE — In a major move to combat the chronic shortage of middle-income housing plaguing south-central Indiana, Bloomington-based medical device manufacturer Cook Group has announced a massive new residential development targeting local workers.
During Tuesday morning’s Lawrence County Commissioners meeting, company executives revealed plans to transform 85 acres of land on Springville-Judah Road into a neighborhood of affordable, high-quality homes. The development will be open to both Cook employees and the general public, providing a critical safety valve for a regional housing market that has squeezed out working-class families.
The initiative comes as a direct response to internal feedback from the company’s regional workforce. Currently, more than 600 Cook Group employees commute from homes within Lawrence County, many of whom have voiced mounting frustration over the local real estate climate.
“We listened to employees who were struggling to find adequate housing within their communities. After hearing from our workforce and surrounding communities, Cook companies committed to helping remove some of these housing barriers for the region,” said Ron Walker, President of Workforce Housing LLC and CFC Properties.
While a manufacturing corporation acting as a residential subdivision developer is an unusual corporate strategy, this is not Cook Group’s first foray into the housing sector. The Springville-Judah Road project is modeled directly after highly successful workforce housing pilots the company recently executed in neighboring counties.
The company’s regional housing portfolio now includes:
- Orange County: Cook constructed and successfully sold 12 single-family homes to stabilize the local workforce inventory.
- Owen County (Spencer): Cook purchased 62 acres of land, building 43 homes. To date, 31 of those properties have been sold directly to buyers completely at cost, with another three sales currently pending.
The single-family homes slated for the Lawrence County development will mirror the successful designs utilized in previous counties, focusing on modern efficiency and turnkey readiness:
- Layouts: 3-to-4-bedroom with two bathrooms and a two-car garage.
- Size Profile: Living spaces ranging from an efficient 1,300 square feet to 1,900 square feet.
- Move-In Ready: All homes are sold fully equipped with kitchen appliances, as well as a washer and dryer included at no additional cost.
- Purchasing Priority: Brand-new homes are offered exclusively to active Cook Group employees first. After an initial internal window, any remaining properties are opened to the general public.
- Sold at Cost: Cook Group makes no profit from the sale of the homes.
Lawrence County leaders reacted with overwhelming optimism to Tuesday’s announcement, noting that the county has desperately needed a solution to attract and retain young professional families who are frequently outbid on older homes or priced out of luxury developments.
“I think this is a great opportunity for employees to stay in Lawrence County,” said Commissioner Vice President Rodney Fish, noting he looks forward to seeing the project advance through the standard zoning and infrastructure phases.
Commissioner Wally Branham echoed those sentiments, revealing that he traveled to evaluate Cook’s previous residential footprint firsthand. “I was able to tour the homes built by Cook Group in Orange County,” Branham stated. “They are quality homes, and I am glad to see this happening in Lawrence County. We need this, and it will be a major benefit to our community.”
“It was a good plan, but I have concerns regarding how much public involvement is ultimately going to be required,” said Commissioner President Jeff McKnight. “Finances are at an all-time low right now, and I do not want to strap our citizens with costs on the back end from these economic development projects through tax abatement expenses. That is my only concern.”
Groundbreaking timelines and specific pricing structures for the Springville-Judah Road development are expected to be finalized and released later this year as preliminary platting moves forward.
