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Solar Array for Former Farmall Property

City of Rock Island
the west end of the former Farmall Plant property, in Rock Island.

A section of the former Farmall Plant in Rock Island may soon generate electricity for "the cloud." This week, the city council agreed to sell 10 acres to Cresthill Preservation Group of Moline so it can build a solar array.

The city's Economic Development Director, Tarah Sipes, says the vacant land is located on the west end of the Farmall property, between the river and rail yard. And the solar cells would provide electricity for a data storage facility in a nearby, renovated building.

"They were looking for something not as easily accessible as some of our properties are, and so this was a property that was of interest to them."

She says Rock Island is helping Cresthill by agreeing to sell the land for just 500 dollars.

Construction could begin soon. 

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.