Liquor distributor plans $7M renovation, 30 new jobs on south side

Republic National Distributing Co. of Indiana LLC plans to spend $7 million on a renovation of its south-side distribution complex—a project that is expected to expand its operations and create 30 jobs over the next five years.

Republic, the parent company of National Wine & Spirits, has applied to the city for a property-tax abatement on the project that would save it an estimated $335,243 over the eight-year abatement period.

The project would help the company retain 497 employees and hire 30 more, the company said. The existing jobs pay an average of $31.01 per hour while the new jobs will average $25.64 per hour.

According to city documents, Republic has occupied a 15.8-acre site at 550 W. Morris St., just south of Interstate 70, for 34 years and has expanded its warehouse operations there several times. Its corporate campus includes a 300,000-square-foot warehouse, an office building and several other support buildings.

The wine and liquor distributor plans to upgrade 52,000 square feet at the existing facility by adding office space and modernizing its inventory storage areas. The improvements would be completed by 2021, with about 70 percent of the project being finished by 2017.

Department of Metropolitan Development staff members said the project would be significant in terms of new taxes and job creation, and would lead to future investment and development in Center Township. They are recommending approval of the tax abatement.

During the abatement period, Republic would still pay an estimated 258,107 in property taxes in addition to the $122,363 it is already paying annually on the property.

After the abatement period, Republic would pay an estimated $74,168 annually on the improved property in addition to the $122,363 it is already paying.

Republic is one of the Midwest’s largest wine and liquor distributors, with 12,000 retail customers and a fleet of 350 vehicles.