Sale of Charlestown's historic army ammunition site sparks hopes for revitalization

CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (WDRB) — Charlestown's World War II army ammunition plant is off the market after FJR commercial Real Estate closed on the property.

The developers purchased the 27-acre property as well as other properties in the real estate portfolio across Charlestown, New Albany, Clarksville and Jeffersonville.

"I was very aggressive on it, and we now have it in our hands," Brian Forrest, co-founder of FJR Commercial Real Estate, said. "And we closed a few weeks ago, and Mayor Hodges was one of the first people I reached out to."

Mayor Treva Hodges said she's excited to welcome the developers to the community, adding that she appreciates their consideration of what community members want.

"Their literal first question was 'What do the residents of Charlestown want to see at this property,'" she said.

Hodges said she would like to see retail stores, restaurants and grocery stores in the area. She sees this as an opportunity to revitalize Charlestown.

"We've sat and watched this just absolutely deteriorate over 20 years," Hodges said.

She said this new purchase feels like a rebirth.

In the 1940s, day in and day out, more than 27,000 people worked at the plant manufacturing smokeless powder propellants and supporting America's World War II defense industry.

"Charlestown sacrificed a lot for the ammunition to be here," Hodges said. "What used to be farmland was transition over into a jungle of concrete and steel to win the war. For us, this is an opportunity to get a gift back."

Young people who live in the area like Austin Parnell and Brandon Aldridge said they're happy to see more development happening close by.

"It's always good to have more money coming into the population in Charlestown here," Parnell said.

"I think it's going to bring more people into Indiana and more jobs," Aldridge added.

It's still a fresh buy, but Forrest said as far as his plans for the space, nothing is set in stone. He's heard the ask for retail stores.

"I think kind of a hybrid some retail there. Potentially a maybe a hotel there at some point. There's a lot of activity on River Ridge," Forrest said.

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