GLASGOW, Ky. — The Barren County Economic Authority has broken ground on a new 60,000-square-foot speculative industrial building at South Cooper Industrial Park, adding market-ready space designed to accelerate business recruitment and expansion in South Central Kentucky.

The facility, developed on approximately 15.3 acres in partnership with Scott, Murphy & Daniel, is designed to accommodate manufacturing, distribution and logistics operations. It can be expanded to as much as 240,000 square feet, providing flexibility for growing companies. Construction will be completed in early 2027.

Speculative buildings—structures built before a tenant is secured—allow counties to respond quickly to companies seeking locations where they can begin operations immediately without waiting for new facilities to be designed and constructed, officials said.

"Investing in infrastructure like this is an investment in Barren County's future," Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd said. "Having market-ready industrial space allows us to compete for new opportunities and respond quickly when companies are looking to expand."

The project is the BCEA's third speculative building at South Cooper Industrial Park, a 152-acre industrial park situated along U.S. 68 near the Cumberland Parkway and Interstate 65. Previous buildings on Lots 1 and 7 are now occupied by Bluegrass Ingredients and Union Coating, a global powder coating manufacturer that established its first U.S. plant in the region.

The park has received significant state investment and infrastructure development since its inception. In 2023, Barren County received $1 million in Community Development Funds and another $1 million through the Kentucky Product Development Initiative to support continued development.

"Projects like this demonstrate our commitment to investing in the future of our community and creating opportunities for long-term economic growth," said Maureen Carpenter, BCEA President and CEO.

More information about South Cooper Industrial Park and economic development opportunities is available from the Barren County Economic Authority.