BY CARL WALWORTH City Editor

MATTOON - A development group purchased a prime piece of Coles County property Monday with plans to develop a new commercial/retail center.

The group, called Coles Centre, includes Effingham-based Agracel Inc. as the managing member.

The property is 93 acres previously owned by the Shrine hospitals on the southwest corner of Illinois Route 16 and the Lerna Road, across the road from the State Farm building. "This is a choice location for central Illinois and represents another start of a premier development in the exurban market," Agracel President Jack Schultz said in a statement.

The group paid $2.5 million, or nearly $27,000 an acre, the record in the county clerk's office shows.

Plans are to market the property as the "nucleus" for surrounding communities with a mix of office and retail lots similar to Effingham's Network Centre, also managed by Agracel.

"There are businesses looking for that kind of property, it's an excellent location between the cities of Mattoon and Charleston," said Coleen Phillips, marketing director for Agracel. She said the natural pitch in the land, helps with the development, as does the attractiveness of the communities including Eastern Illinois University and Lake Land College.

The general plan would be to complete the necessary infrastructure improvements, develop a marketing plan then aggressively pitch the area. "We're always looking for good development property and we look at this as prime acreage," Phillips said.

The Shrine organization had a plat approved in 1998 to develop the property, then announced in January 1999 that it was dropping those plans. The land has been farmed for many years while it was for sale.

"We are thrilled to be in partnership once again with Agracel to continue the development of Coles County," said Jeanne Gustafson, the executive director of Coles Together, the county's economic development organization. "There's not a better piece of property in the county. We look for great things to happen here."

Added Mattoon Mayor Wanda' Ferguson: "I am very pleased that Agracel is the developer for this property. This is a real asset for the city of Mattoon as well as the entire county and a great location with the interstate so close."

Agracel isn't new to Coles County. The company through its "build to suit" and leasing programs developed buildings for Consolidated Market Response, Total Quality Warehouse and Ampad in Mattoon's 230-acre Enterprise Park.

Agracel also developed the Coles office building in the Coles Business Park that includes facilities for Consolidated Market Response, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and Merrill Lynch, and a 40,000-square-foot warehouse for Coca-Cola Enterprises.

Agracel was founded in 1986 by Schultz, who has developed business and industrial parks in Effingham, Decatur, Tilton, Herrin and other communities. Agracel owns more than 1,000 acres and has more than 3 million square feet leased on projects the company said facilitated about 1,700 jobs.