A deal to place the first industrial tenant in a never-used building at Ceres Research and Industrial Interplex remains alive, state economic development officials said.

However, Warren County’s status on Australia-based Force 10 International’s wish list remains unclear.

If realized, Australia-based Force 10 International will assemble green-friendly, storm-proof homes inside the 64,000-square foot structure at the industrial park next to Interstate 20 at Flowers.

“This is still an active project,” Mississippi Development Authority spokesman Melissa Medley said.

Executives touted the cooperation of Vicksburg officials and the Warren County Port Commission as a reason for choosing the area to locate in Mississippi, with the hope of closing a deal to house its first U.S. plant by this weekend.

Calls to Tampa-based Force 10 CEO Brandie Dollar-Puls and Port Commission executive director Wayne Mansfield were not returned Friday.   

The MDA has worked with the Warren County Port Commission to bring activity to the building, built in 1995 with an eye toward landing a distribution center of some type. Since then, it has been used to lure industrial prospects to Ceres such as Yorozu Automotive Mississippi and now-closed Simpson Dura-Vent that came, but built their own facilities.

Homes with the Force 10 seal are put together from kits containing walls, doors, roof sheeting and support columns. Parts are made of galvanized steel and cement, making the total price tag on the homes dependent on market forces involving the price of such raw materials.

Industrial development began at Ceres with the 1986 purchase of a 1,290-acre tract from descendants of the U.G. Flowers plantation. In addition to Tyson, Yorozu, Vicksburg Metal Products and Magnolia Metal & Plastic, offices for the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Mississippi National Guard Armory.

MDA lists the industrial area among 274 sites available for commercial development in the state. Its listed price is $15,000 an acre. Though no longer listed individually, the spec building’s list price was $750,000.