AVILLA - Could Avilla become to green technology what Warsaw is to the orthopaedic industry?

On Wednesday morning, the Region III-A Development Economic District & Regional Planning Commission's board of directors voted to put up $10,000 toward making that a possibility. On Wednesday night, the Avilla Town Council voted to put up its own $10,000.

Region III-A's David Koenig said the goal is to create a $2.8 million rural business development center near the intersection of S.R. 8 and S.R. 3 in Avilla. If all goes well, the center could open as early as July 2010.

According to Koenig, the development center would serve as an incubator to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Koenig said entrepreneurs with sound ideas could apply for space at the center, using the facility's manufacturing/warehousing. The theory being that if the entrepreneur's idea takes off, he or she might expand with full manufacturing capabilities to a location within the region, creating jobs.

Two similar business incubators have been set up in Fort Wayne, and have seen success, Koenig said.

The center would focus on alternative energy and information technologies.

Region III-A's vision calls for a 32,0000-square foot structure, with 20,000 square feet set aside for manufacturing/warehousing. The remaining 12,000 square feet would be used for office space.

The goal is to help this part of the state, which has been long dependent on the automotive and recreational vehicle industries to diversify.

"We need to reinvent ourselves, and this is the first step in doing that," Avilla Town Council president Paul Shepherd said.

According to Koenig, officials at Region III-A chose the Avilla location near the southwest corner of the intersection because of how it centers the area Region III-A serves, the access to S.R. 3 and S.R. 8 and the amenities offered by the 12.9 acres in question.

"I think it can be a showpiece for not only the town of Avilla, but for the entire region as well," Koenig said.

According to Koenig, preliminary talks with the property owner have gone well. Region III-A has not yet made an option on the property.

The first step in the process is to raise between $30,000 and $40,000 to create architectural plans and a formal proposal which can be taken to either investors or state officials for their backing.

"I'm hoping people will view this as an investment in the future," Koenig said.

The second step would be for Region III-A to come up with $700,000 of the $2.8 million. If that amount can be reached, the project would be potentially eligible for a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant for the remaining $2.1 million.

Koenig said Region III-A has been in contact with state Rep. David Yarde, R-Garrett, state Rep. Matt Bell, R-Avilla and state Sen. Marlin Stutzman. All three pledged their support to the project, he said. In theory, the state could come up with the $700,000 needed to make the project eligible for the federal grant.

Councilman Phil Puckett said he would be more comfortable if it were possible to guarantee that the business development center would be built in Avilla and not in some other location.

"It's the only site we're considering at this time," Koenig said. "It had all the amenities we were looking for."

Councilman Bill Krock said the money the town had invested in other economic development efforts had not provided concrete results. He also questioned why a current, empty factory site in Avilla wasn't considered.

Koenig said Region III-A wanted to create a building from scratch so it would be representative of the type of industry it will be trying to attract.

After a brief discussion, Puckett motioned to approve the $10,000 expenditure from the town's Economic Development Income Tax funds. Shepherd provided the second and the measure passed.