WARSAW, IN (WSBT) — It could be one of the biggest developments in years for Warsaw.
A former printing plant has been sitting empty for years.
Now, there’s growing speculation that a new electric vehicle company could bring it back to life.
That electric vehicle manufacturing plant is backed in part by billionaire Jeff Bezos.
The building is hard to miss. It’s a 1.4 million-square-foot building that housed the former R.R. Donnelley printing plant on Old US-30.
It has been vacant, but public records and newly released details from a startup called Slate Auto suggest that it could soon change.
The company announced plans to build affordable electric trucks in the US, pricing them under $20,000 after the federal EV tax credit.
During Slate’s recent launch event, its CEO reportedly showed an aerial photo of a large factory, a photo that matches the Warsaw facility’s listing on the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s website.
Although Slate hasn’t officially confirmed the location, TechCrunch reports the startup is close to locking in the Warsaw site.
Slate is backed by big money, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and other partners.
The company has raised more than $100 million and the economic ripple could be significant.
TechCrunch says officials told media earlier this year, without naming Slate, that a company was eyeing the facility and that the project could create up to 2,000 jobs.
WSBT 22 visited the site and ran into the plant’s facility manager.
He seemed to know detailed information about the project and was willing to talk, but said he wasn’t cleared to speak on the record and then asked us to leave the property.
WSBT 22 also reached out to multiple local and state agencies about Slate’s involvement.
Warsaw’s mayor declined to comment but called any redevelopment of the plant exciting news.
The Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce also declined to comment while the Kosciusko County Economic Development Corporation says it’s under a strict non-disclosure agreement and can’t share anything.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation did not respond to our request.
WSBT 22 is staying on top of this potential project and will bring the latest updates as we learn them.
