Super Sites Revisited
Back by popular demand, here's our state-by-state look at some of the South's best
If you're scouring the South for a BIG site for your next mega project, you've just hit the jackpot. What you'll find below is a guide to some of the biggest and best sites in the most attractive business location on the planet.
This article uncovers the best of the NEW Super Sites in the South-those that you have never before read about in this publication. Most of these sites have come online since we made our last mega-site quest four years ago.
We'll also revisit a few sites that have been around a little longer and are worth another look. No doubt they've made it to a few "short lists," but as of this writing still await fame and glory. We're convinced that someone else's loss might be your gain-these great sites won't be overlooked for much longer.
We've classified "Super Sites" as 500 acres or more. But to make SB&D's list, these sites boast more than just size. They also meet other requirements such as proximity to a four-lane roadway, utilities in place or planned, and cooperation of landowners. While we've offered some insight on what each one is "best suited for," most sites featured on this list can also accommodate virtually any massive project such as automotive, distribution, electronics, aviation/aerospace, semiconductor, and heavy industry.
Alabama Super Sites
Tensaw Tract
Mount Vernon, Alabama
The Tensaw Tract site is truly one of the south's mega-megasites with 3,467 acres of contiguous land zoned for heavy industrial use. This forest land was once set aside for growing tress and, along with its surrounding timber procurement radius, this site has been identified as a unique opportunity for an oriented strain board (OSB) manufacturer. In fact, in 2001 the land was evaluated by the staff of a major OSB manufacturer and designated as the best site on the North American continent.
The Tensaw Tract is adjacent to the town of Calvert, just about 30 minutes from Mobile, and is part of the city's metropolitan statistical area. A multi-site industrial park is planned for this super site that is strategically positioned on Highway 43, a four-lane road that leads to Interstate 10, Interstate 165 and Interstate 65, giving the site close proximity and easy access to high growth markets in the southeastern U.S.
A port on the Tombigbee River with an on-site dock gives tenants an alternative to trucking goods. Rail service is also available through a Norfolk Southern line that runs onto the site. The Mobile Regional Airport is only 39 miles away, just minutes from downtown. The airport connects to six major hubs - Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, Orlando and Charlotte.
Clarke-Mobile Gas District offers an existing connection to provide natural gas to the site and Alabama Power Company is ready to deliver electricity. A 230 Kv transmission line is located just two miles southeast of this pristine tract. Water and sewer service infrastructure is planned, along with a strong telecommunications network.
The region has a skilled labor pool more than 250,000 strong with a 6.1% unemployment rate. In addition to the unemployed in the Mobile region, a new employer can attract employees from an additional pool of about 69,500 potentially available workers who have indicated an interest in changing jobs. State-sponsored training programs are ready to assist companies who locate in the region.
The Tensaw Tract ready to be permitted and developed and at $6,000 per acre this Alabama land is one of the best value's in the South. The state is offering an attractive tax incentive package to manufacturing companies who choose to locate in Alabama. Timber, site, transportation, markets, labor and incentives await the first company to act on this once in a lifetime opportunity.
For more information about Tensaw Tract, call the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce at 251-433-6951, send e-mail to info@mobilechamber.com or visit www.mobilechamber.com.
Ashville Interstate-59 Site
Ashville, Alabama
Acres: 1870
Outstanding features:
- No zoning restrictions
- Two miles of interstate frontage, 30 miles northeast of Birmingham
- Norfolk southern provides a mainline rail at the southern portion of the site that parallels I-59
- Level terrain with soil tests completed
- 6-inch water, 3-inch sewer less than one mile away
Best suited for: Large manufacturing plants, including automotive
The Barton Riverfront Industrial Park - The Shoals
Cherokee, Alabama
Acres: 1,700 total; 785 available
Outstanding features:
- The largest publicly held site on the Tennessee River
- No zoning restrictions
- A labor force drawn from an eight-county tri-state region
- Single owner, no competing land uses
- Adjacent rail track with Norfolk Southern service
- 15 miles to commercial air service
- 18-inch water connection, 6-inch natural gas line, and electricity on-site
- Phase 1 environmental completed with soil data available
- Located on US Hwy 72 (four lane), 59 miles to I-65, 115 miles to I-40
Best suited for: Industrial
Conners Island Business Park
Guntersville, Alabama
Acres: 550
Outstanding features:
- Rail available through CSX
- Tennessee River dock facility/port access 1-5 miles
- 8-inch water/sewer connections; 10-inch natural gas, and electricity on-site
- Phase 1 environmental complete with soil data available
- Located on US Hwy 431 (four-lane), 30 miles to I-59, 35 miles to I-565, 40 miles to I-65
Best suited for: Light Industrial
Jetplex Industrial Park South
South Huntsville, Alabama
Acres: 800
Outstanding features
- Rail provided by Norfolk Southern
- Dock facility/port access 11-25 miles
- Three miles to commercial air service
- 48-inch water/54-inch sewer connections, 18-inch natural gas on-site
- Located three miles from I-565 and six miles from I-65
Best suited for: Light Industrial
Greenbrier I-565 Site
Huntsville, Alabama
Acres: 513
Outstanding features
- Adjacent rail track provided by Norfolk Southern
- Tennessee River dock facility/port access
- Three miles to commercial air service
- 12-inch water/24-inch sewer connections, 6-inch natural gas, and electricity on-site
- No zoning restrictions
- Located on I-565, four miles from I-65
Best suited for: Industrial
NE Opelika Industrial Park
Opelika, Alabama
Acres: 1,784
Outstanding features
- Situated directly on Interstate 85 with excellent frontage
- Only 15 minutes away from Auburn University, home to over 22,000 students, 4,100 of which are involved in engineering studies
- Just over an hour from Atlanta Hartsfield International airport
- Rail adjacent provided by CSX
- Chattahoochee River dock facility/port access 26-50 miles
- 16-inch water/8-inch sewer connections, 6-inch main/natural gas connections and electricity on-site
- Phase 1 environmental complete with soil data available
- Runner up site for Nissan's automotive plant that landed in Canton, MS
Best suited for: Large manufacturing (including automotive), distribution, electronics
Arkansas Super Sites
The Isgrig/Port of Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Acres: 995
Unique characteristics:
- All utilities at the northern site boundary supplied by the City of Little Rock including water, sewer, high-pressure natural gas, and electricity
- Located on the Arkansas River and suitable for it's own barge facility
- Stevedoring services provided by Port of Little Rock at two terminals and warehousing facilities on site's northern boundary.
- Adjacent to the Port of Little Rock Slackwater Harbor
- Two miles from Little Rock National Airport
- Directly on Interstate 40
- Rail service by Little Rock Port Authority Railroad with daily service from Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe
- Above 100-year flood stage/additional protection by a public levee board
Best suited for: Automotive or steel manufacturing
Jonesboro Super Site
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Acres: 504
Outstanding features:
- Site is cleared with a slope of less than two percent
- Crane/Elite, Swift-Ostrich, Trail mobile, Trinity Lighting, and Frito-Lay have facilities in the park
- Interstate 55 is 53 miles to the east; U.S. Highway 63 is 1.5 miles to the south
- Burlington Northern / Santa Fe Railroad line three miles to the west; City of Jonesboro has spur on site
- Commercial air service with daily flights to Dallas / Fort Worth and St. Louis available at Jonesboro Airport, four miles to the west
- Public port, loading docks, and warehousing available at the Port of Osceola, 57 miles to the east.
- Utilities on the site including water, sewer, natural gas, and electricity
- Jonesboro Industrial Development Corporation is the sole owner
- Directly served by State Highway 18
Best suited for: Food processing or manufacturing
Florida Super Sites
Alachua West
Alachua, Florida
Acres: 1,718
Outstanding features:
- Located 13 miles northwest of Gainesville, less than three miles from I-75 and U.S. Hwy 441
- All utilities already available to site; rail abuts site
- Located on site is a 103,000 square-foot flex space building suitable for light industrial/manufacturing or office space
- Two major distribution centers already built/planned for site totaling more than 2.5 million square feet
Best suited for: Large distribution, light manufacturing, biotech, medical device manufacturing, pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing, telecommunications and electronics equipment manufacturing
Cecil Commerce Center
Jacksonville, Florida
Acres: 17,000 (1,000 for a single user)
Outstanding features:
- Former Cecil Field Naval Air Station
- Parcels available from 25 to 1,300 acres
- Site is divided by a road-northern half of site is general industrial park, southern part is aviation-focused park because of proximity to major runway
- Impressive utility infrastructure in place including dual- feed electric, municipal sewer and water, natural gas, and fiber optics
- Just off of I-10 with new high speed to high speed interchange planned to further improve interstate access
- Site is rail served and owned by the city
- All environmental permitting completed for industrial use
Best suited for: Aerospace/aviation, automotive, any large-scale industrial project
Dicks Tract
Lake City, Florida
Acres: 1,000
Outstanding features:
- Located four miles from interchange of I-10 and I-75 providing excellent access to Florida and the Southeast
- Adjacent to Norfolk Southern rail and one hour from Jacksonville Port
Best suited for: Warehouse and distribution
International Corp. Park
Orlando, Florida
Acres: 3,000
Outstanding features:
- Electric, natural gas, water and wastewater on site; road infrastructure in place
- Rail on site
- Park is DRI approved (development of regional impact), meaning that a master plan has already been completed
- Bounded on north side by Highway 528 giving direct shot to airport and Interstate 4 just south and east of Orlando national airport five minutes
- In one of the hottest markets in the South recognized by a variety of sources as a key market
- Airport is in very close proximity affording international access -excellent from a business travel standpoint
- 30 minutes from deep water port-Port Canaveral
Best suited for: Heavy industry, semiconductor, distribution, and manufacturing
Jennings Site-Baynard Ward
Jennings, Florida
Acres: 500
Outstanding features:
- Fronts I-75 with one mile of visibility; 15 miles from I-10 for north-south and east-west interstate access
- Located in an Enterprise Zone close to Georgia line
- 300 acres already cleared
Best suited for: Distribution, light manufacturing
Westlake Site
Jacksonville, Florida
Acres: 4,600 (largest contiguous 500 acres)
Outstanding features:
- Solely owned, master planned, rail served industrial park
- Owned by Norfolk Southern
- Park is DRI approved (development of regional impact), meaning that a master plan has already been completed
- All major utilities available in underground, heavy industrial capacities
- Conveniently located to both I-10 and I-95; 3 miles from I-295, the beltway around Jacksonville for excellent access to three major interstates
- One of the highest and driest pieces of land in the area-more than 70 feet above sea level
Best suited for: A large industrial user, manufacturing, processing, distribution
Sebring Regional Airport & Industrial Park
Sebring, Florida
Acres: 1,200
Outstanding features:
- A multi-modal facility with airport access; up to 600 acres for single user
- CSX Transportation maintains a rail spur that runs directly to the industrial park
- The park is served by a 69kV transmission line
- The airport has its own water and wastewater facilities
- Park served by three wells and is completely self sufficient
- Located in central Florida 90 miles from Tampa. In close proximity to more than 70 million people
Best suited for: Aviation/aerospace, large manufacturing
Georgia Super Sites
Savannah Economic Development Site
Chatham County, Georgia
Acres: 1,560
Outstanding features:
- 350 acres cleared and graded, ready for construction of a large manufacturing facility
- Six miles from Port of Savannah, a primary port for shipping to Asian markets
- Bordered by and accessible from two major interstates, I-95 (north-south) and I-16 (east-west)
- Air nearby at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
- Drainage structures/storm water retention ponds constructed for entire site
- Additional road improvement projects such as a four-lane truck access road and a new interchange on I-95 planned for site
Best suited for: Automotive or a single user seeking a graded 350-acre pad
Kansas Super Sites
Center Pointe Commerce Park
Topeka, Kansas
Acres: 650
Outstanding features:
- Protective, Sub-dividable
- Municipal water/sewer
- Burlington Northern/Santa Fe rail service on-site
- Fiber optics/digital service available
Best suited for: Light Industrial
New Century AirCenter
New Century, Kansas
Acres: 1,100 acres
Outstanding features:
- Protective, Sub-dividable
- Direct access to interstate
- Infrastructure in place
- Burlington Northern/Santa Fe rail service; direct access to air service
Best suited for: Aviation/aerospace
Kentucky Super Sites
Bluegrass Crossings Regional Business Centre
Beaver Dam, Kentucky
Acres: 971
Outstanding features:
- Positioned at the junction of two parkways
- Is a multi-county regional project
- Developer is seeking congressional support to assist with infrastructure
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics, multi-purpose
The Glendale Site
Hardin County, Kentucky
Acres: 1,551
Outstanding features:
- Strategically located in central Kentucky, 47 miles south of Louisville and 125 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee
- Close proximity to principal north-south, east-west highway connections, including I-65 (1 mile east), the Bluegrass Parkway (7.5 miles north), and Western Kentucky Parkway (5.5 miles northwest) making 67 percent of nation's population only a day's drive away
- 37 different local motor freight truck lines are readily accessible to transport and distribute goods to any continental destination
- Airline service available seven miles to the north at Elizabethtown's 6,000-foot runway airport and 42 miles away at Louisville's International Airport and UPS hub
- A CSX main rail line borders the western edge of site
- Utilities in place-8-inch water line 1,000 feet north of site, 42-inch sewer line 15,840 feet north of site, 16-inch gas line 2,500 feet southeast of site and 8-inch line 15,840 feet north of site
- Advanced telecommunications networks in the area facilitate worldwide communications
- Draws from a civilian labor force of 935,000 within a 90-minute drive
Best suited for: Any large manufacturing, processing, or assembly plant
Interstate 24 Industrial Park
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Acres: 2,107
Outstanding features:
- Offers immediate access to I-24 and rail
- Near Fort Campbell Military installation
- A TVA Certified Site
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics
Kentucky Transpark
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Acres: 900
Outstanding features:
- Site is served by three distinct modes of transportation
- Bordered by U.S. Highway 31W on the north, with State Highway 6880 passing directly through the site
- The new I-65 east-west corridor is expected to border property's southern end
- CSX Rail passes through the site
- Complete infrastructure being installed including 20-inch water main and 8-inch gas lines as well as roads
- Offers an upscale business and commerce park atmosphere with underground utilities and abundant green space
- Onsite training center under construction
Best suited for: Automotive, multi-purpose site, electronics, high-tech, pharmaceuticals, large distribution
Purchase Area Regional Industrial Park
Graves County, Kentucky
Acres: 1,272
Outstanding features:
- Gentle topography
- Commitment in place for rail and utility services at the site: gas, water, sewer, and electricity
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics, large appliance, metalworking, or other major manufacturing
Louisiana Super Sites
Lacassine Industrial Park
Lacassine, Louisiana
Acres: 2,000
Outstanding features:
- Directly on I-10
- Property is sum of 200-acre industrial park owned by Louisiana Agriculture Finance Authority and available on lease terms and 1,800 surrounding acres optioned by the Jefferson Davis Office of Economic Development from 10 private landowners
- Dual carrier rail access -- Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific
- All acreage above the 100-year flood plane
- Flat terrain, cleared and drained for agriculture
- Phase I Environmental complete
- Zoned I-3 Heavy Industrial
- Existing infrastructure (water, drainage, gas, power)
Best suited for: Auto assembly
Killoden Plantation
Monroe, Louisiana
Acres: 645
Outstanding features:
- Located 0.5 miles from Interstate 20 and adjacent to US Hwy. 80.
- Served Kansas City Southern Rail Road; Union Pacific has line one mile from the site
- All acreage above the 100-year flood plane
- Flat terrain, cleared and drained for agriculture
- Existing infrastructure (water, drainage, gas, power)
- Adjacent to the Monroe Regional Airport
- Located within a HUD designated Renewal Community making an employer eligible for federal tax credits.
Best suited for: Auto parts manufacturing, other light to heavy manufacturing
England Air Park
Alexandria, Louisiana
Acres: 3,254
Outstanding features:
- Location 1.5 miles from Interstate 49
- Location on the Union Pacific Railroad
- 1,954 acres above the 100-year flood plane
- Flat terrain, cleared and drained for agriculture
- Existing infrastructure (water, drainage, gas, power)
Adjacent to the England International Airport
Best suited for: Automotive assembly; all types of heavy and light manufacturing; uses requiring airpark location such as aerospace
Tallulah Site
Tallulah, Louisiana
Acres: 804
Outstanding features:
- Location 0.25 miles from Interstate 20 and adjacent to LA Hwy. 602 and US 65
- Located within one mile of the Kansas City Southern Railroad
- All 804 acres above the 100-year flood plane
- Flat terrain, cleared and drained for agriculture
- Located within a HUD designated Renewal Community making an employer eligible for federal tax credits
- Single property owner with an expressed interest to sell
Best suited for: Auto parts manufacturing; heavy and light manufacturing
Maryland Super Sites
Baltimore Crossing @ 95
Baltimore, Maryland
Acres: 1,000 (500 developable)
Outstanding features:
- One of last major undeveloped sites along the Washington to New York corridor
- MD 43 (now under construction and opening in 2006) will pass through the center of the site and provide cross-county access to significant labor markets
- I-95 is two miles west of site; I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) is six miles southwest of site
- White Marsh Business Community - two miles west of the site - is home to Allison Transmission manufacturing plant, Comcast Cable Services, MedStar Health Systems, Kaiser Permanente Health Services, Nationwide Mutual and Allstate Insurance
- Martin State Airport at the southern end of the new MD 43 offers corporate & general aviation
- Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) rapid rail station adjoins site at south end of MD 43 linking the site to all of northeastern Maryland and continuing south to Washington DC
- Norfolk Southern Railroad's northeastern mainline runs the length of the southern edge of site
Best suited for: High-technology manufacturing and warehouse distribution
Mississippi Super Sites
Lowndes County-Golden Triangle Mega Site
Columbus, Mississippi
Chosen as one of only two TVA-certified megasites, Lowndes County-Golden Triangle Mega Site is poised to attract the next global automaker to the Southern Auto Corridor. Criteria for this prestigious certification, bestowed by consulting firm McCallum Sweeney, includes a size of at least 1,000 contiguous and developable acres, land availability, transportation access, labor capacity, ideal topography and well-defined infrastructure development plans.
This 1,500-acre super site is in the heart a thriving Mississippi region surrounded by Columbus, Starkville, and West Point and is located just one mile from the Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTRA), one of the South's finest and the state's third-largest. GTRA serves Northeast Mississippi with airline service from a 6,497-foot runway to the world through the Atlanta and Dallas-Ft. Worth hubs.
This state-of-the-art southern super site offers 700 acres of developable land about 10 miles west of the Alabama state line and less than 300 miles from Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis and Little Rock. The 234-mile long Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway connects 16,000 miles of inland waterways to the Gulf of Mexico from the Tennessee River to the Port of Mobile, Ala.
Rail-wise, the Burlington Northern, Columbus and Greenville Railway Company, Golden Triangle, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, and Luxapalila Valley Railroad Company all serve the region. And U.S. Highway 82 runs east and west through Columbus, while U.S. Highway 45 runs from Tennessee to the Gulf Coast. Mississippi Highways 12, 50, 69, and 373 also serve the area. Of the 18 motor freight carriers serving the Golden Triangle, 10 have terminal facilities in Lowndes County.
The majority of the site's premier utilities infrastructure is already in place. Water comes from on-site deep wells with a whopping storage capacity of 1 million gallons and an expanded wastewater plant. High-pressure natural gas, electricity, a three-phase power supply and fiber optic line round out the impressive utility services. An industrial sewage treatment facility is also available on this megasite.
Labor wise, Lowndes County has it covered. The region has more than 250,000 available workers with access to top-notch education and training facilities. Mississippi State University offers a strong engineering program, and The East Mississippi Community College Golden Triangle is home to the Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence, a training institution focused on the needs of manufacturers. Military personnel exiting from Columbus Air Force Base bring highly skilled and disciplined workers to the region. With so much room for growth, opportunities abound at the Lowndes County-Golden Triangle Mega Site.
Missouri Super Sites
Crossroads Business and Distribution Park
Joplin, Missouri
A designated Enterprise Zone, Crossroads Business and Distribution Park is Joplin, Mo.'s newest planned business park. The Super Site is vying for a broad base of growing manufacturers and distributors with its 670 acres of developable land and world-class infrastructure. The Great Outdoor Grill Company, Brunner Fabrication and Hampshire Pet Products are already settling in to this site developed by the Joplin Business & Industrial Development Corp.
Joplin is located on the Ozark Plateau, 982 feet above sea level in the southwest corner of Missouri and approximately 200 miles southwest of the center of U.S. population and near the geographical center of the country. Situated five miles east of the Kansas state line, 10 miles northwest of the Oklahoma state line and 45 miles north of the Arkansas state line; Joplin provides convenient access to most of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Crossroads Business and Distribution Park offers tenants a developed transportation infrastructure that gets you where you need to go in a hurry. This Super Site is just one mile from both Interstate 44, the major east-west thoroughfare, and U.S. 71 (designated 1-49 corridor). Fifty trucking companies serve the region, along with rail service providers Kansas City Southern, Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and RailAmerica. Crossroads is only about two miles from Joplin's Regional Airport, 70 miles from Springfield Airport and 110 miles from Tulsa International Airport.
Joplin is hustling and bustling with a little help from surrounding communities. Joplin's corporate limits are bounded by 12 other incorporated cities and villages ranging in size from a few hundred people to nearly 10,000. This adds up to an overall population of more than 80,000, or half the metro statistical area (MSA) population, in a mere seven-mile radius of the city's center. In fact, Joplin is the hub community for more than 450,000 people living in Southwest Missouri, Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas.
Vocational schools like Franklin Technology Center and community colleges like Crowder College train up a skilled workforce while Missouri Southern State College, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Pittsburg State University and Vatterott College offer four-year degrees.
In addition to Joplin's working residents, an additional 170,000 people come to the city for jobs, services, entertainment and health care every day and the region offers competitive wages of about 80-85 percent of the national average. With its Southern business advantages and strategic location, Crossroads Business and Distribution Park promises a place of prosperity for a diverse manufacturing and distribution base today, tomorrow and long into the future.
For more information about Crossroads Business and Distribution Park, call the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce at 417-624-4150, send e-mail to robrian@joplincc.com
KCI Airport Property
Kansas City, Missouri
Acres: 640
Outstanding features:
- Offers unique combination of size, readiness and on-airport logistics
- Adjacent to interstate highway system, located in a major trucking center with the nation's second-largest railway system
- Site has Foreign Trade Zone status
- 48-hour international air cargo delivery and overnight U.S. service. With U.S. customs on property
- Less than 2 miles from I-29 & nearby I-435, I-35, and I-70.
- Natural Gas at site, municipal water access less than one mile, municipal sewer 1200 feet
- Electric substation 25 MVA 161/12.47KV nearby
Best suited for: Manufacturing, distribution, office
Northland Park
Kansas City, Missouri
Acres: 1,000
Outstanding features:
- A developed industrial park only 10 minutes from downtown Kansas City with sites still available
- All infrastructure in place and flat topography
- Located in a Missouri Enterprise Zone
Best suited for: Industrial
Rolla National Airport
Vichy, Missouri
Acres: 1,300
Outstanding features:
- A flat site just 11 miles from I-44
- Portion of site being used by Baron Aviation for airport
- Easy access to Highways 68, 28 and 63
Best suited for: Aviation
Richards Gebaur
Kansas City, Missouri
Acres: 1,400
Outstanding features:
- Protective, Sub-dividable,
- Two different rail lines service the area; rail service directly to the site provided by Kansas City Southern
- Municipal 16-inch water line and 24-inch sewer line with gas and electricity in place
- Located at US Hwy 71 and state Hwy 150 with easy access to I-435
Best suited for: Industrial
Spencer Property
Kansas City, Missouri
Acres: 708
Outstanding features:
- Subdividable, great development potential
- Site is north of new Farmland headquarters
- Municipal water and sewer with gas and electricity in place
Best suited for: Industrial, office
North Carolina Super Sites
North Carolina Offers A Head Start to Rapid Construction
North Carolina understands the challenges site selectors face and the state is notorious for going out of its way to facilitate the process with a heavy dose of practical business wisdom and just the right amount of Southern hospitality.
Enter the North Carolina Certified Sites Program, a statewide initiative designed to proactively identify and analyze industrial sites. The program eliminates much of the legwork and industrial red tape that often entangles busy executives and speeds job creation and investment throughout the state.
The A to Z certification process starts with securing commitments to support development at specific sites and continues with a proactive analysis of site development costs, environmental issues, and utility service. Certified sites make it their business to assist customers exploring "greenfield" locations, saving the client both valuable time and investment dollars in the development process.
The criteria are rigorous for Certified Sites. Commitment letters from sponsors, counties and municipalities, documentation of ownership and conditions of sale or lease and a letter of intent to bring the property to minimum required access standards reduce the initial risk. Then a topography survey, engineer's site development cost estimate, site development plans, and geo-technical studies provide accurate details on development prospects.
The stringent site pre-qualification process doesn't stop there. In order to win the great seal of approval, sites also undergo a comprehensive environmental study including the creation of various maps, engineer's certification regarding filled areas, reports depicting archaeological findings and rare and endangered plants or animal species, and an Environmental Protection Agency Phase I Assessment.
Only then do certifiers examine the utilities infrastructure to make sure the power supplier is on board to provide the abundant and continual resources necessary to operate a busy facility. Customers may view power supply, natural gas, water supply and wastewater engineering data, an electrical power transmission grid map and a time line for wastewater service to ensure the site is well prepared to service their needs.
The State wraps up its certification process with detailed documentation regarding rights of way, easements, judgments and restrictive covenants, offers a county tax map, aerial photos showing site boundaries, a site data form and copies of the present property deed and boundary survey.
What could be more mind easing than a pre-inspected site certified by professionals who understand your business challenges? The Certified Sites Program virtually guarantees you the perfect fit for your company for less time, less legwork and more opportunities for success than you may have thought possible.
Peppercorn Plantation
Statesville, North Carolina
No discussion of Southern super sites would be complete without a glimpse at North Carolina's Peppercorn Plantation. As one of the last few sites at the intersection of two key interstates to be left undeveloped, Peppercorn Plantation is a tremendous location to East Coast markets.
Located approximately 40 miles from Downtown Charlotte, adjacent to the city limits of Statesville, this greenfield megasite offers companies 700 strategically positioned acres of developable land at the intersection of Interstate 77 and Interstate 40 with one mile of interstate frontage. The State Department of Transportation is currently underway with a $1 million project to improve the I-77/I-40 interchange, which will increase visibility and allow better access to the site.
Besides its prime locale, Peppercorn Plantation has top-notch utilities to offer a steady supply of water, electricity and natural gas. The site features excellent topography and geographical features that could make this one of the most aesthetically pleasing properties in the Charlotte region.
This megasite is perfect for automakers, corporate headquarters, or corporate campus type manufacturers. As a gateway site into the community, city officials are eager to work with tenants that reflect the city and county's development desires. And with a labor pool of more than 250,000 people within a 25-mile radius, the Peppercorn Plantation is a prime location for growing manufacturers.
For more information about The Peppercorn Plantation, call the Greater Statesville Development Corp. at 704-871-0062, send e-mail to info@gsdc.org or visit www.gsdc.org.
Newton Corporate Center
Newton, North Carolina
The Newton Corporate Center is a 485-acre super site with properties ready and waiting for just the right manufacturer. Almost 600 manufacturers, including Broyhill Furniture, Ellis Hosiery and Joan Fabrics, already call Catawba County home.
One of North Carolina's finest, this site is situated adjacent to US 31, an interstate quality, limited access highway. Four interstates are within 30 miles of the site and a one-hour drive will take you to Charlotte, Greensville/Spartanburg, Asheville, Winston-Salem/Greensboro and the world famous Blue Ridge Parkway. Newton Corporate Center is close to The Hickory Regional Airport and less than 40 minutes from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. Norfolk/Southern Caldwell County Railroad and 74 trucking/motor freight carriers also serve the region.
The fourth largest metropolitan statistical area in the state, Catawba County's long standing position in fiber optic and furniture industries has forged a well developed and adaptable infrastructure, supported by a skilled work force and thriving service sector. Catawba County is uniquely positioned at the crossroads between traditional manufacturing and technologically advanced industries. Whatever widget you peddle, the Newton Corporate Center offers prime real estate and a strategic location and plenty of business assistance and tax incentives designed to help your business grow.
For more information about the Newton Corporate Center, call the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation at 828-464-7198, send e-mail to smillar@catawbacountync.gov or visit www.catawbacountync.gov.
Wilson Corporate Park
Wilson, North Carolina
Acres: 500
Outstanding features:
- Positioned adjacent to Interstate 95 halfway between New York and Florida
- Rail served with infrastructure in place
- Park recently selected by Purdue Pharmaceuticals, L.P. and Carolina Builders
Best suited for: Industrial
Carolina Commerce & Tech. Center (COMtech)
Pembroke, North Carolina
Acres: 600
Outstanding features:
- A North Carolina Certified Site
- Less than 5 miles to I-95; I-74 within 1 mile
- Rail served with infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Industrial
NC A&T Farm Millennium Campus
Greensboro, North Carolina
Acres: 600
Outstanding features:
- Located one mile from I-95
- Within Greensboro city limits
- Infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Industrial
Smith Property
Smithfield, North Carolina
Acres: 600
Outstanding features:
- 6,222 feet on I-95
- Infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Industrial
Northampton County Super Site
Garysburg, North Carolina
Acres: 610
Outstanding features:
- Excellent access to I-95
- Adjacent to Lowe's Regional Distribution Center
- Rail served with infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Distribution
Franklin County Combined Property
Youngsville, North Carolina
Acres: 632
Outstanding features:
- Positioned directly on U.S. Hwy 1
- Rail served with infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Light industrial, distribution/warehouse/R&D
Beallgray Farm Site
Lexington, North Carolina
Acres: 639
Outstanding features:
- Property can be subdivided
- Located in city limits directly on I-85
- Rail served with infrastructure in place and dual electric providers
Best suited for: Light manufacturing
Lee County Site
Sanford, North Carolina
Acres: 890
Outstanding features:
- Directly on U.S. Hwy 1
- Rail served with infrastructure in place including municipal water and sewer
Best suited for: Industrial
Talton Property
Selma, North Carolina
Acres: 900
Outstanding features:
- Rail served with utilities in place including municipal water and sewer
Best suited for: Heavy industrial
Great Meadows Site
Morganton, North Carolina
Acres: 1,200
Outstanding features:
- Directly on I-40
- Infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Industrial
Mid-Atlantic Industrial Park
Whitakers, North Carolina
Acres: 1,688
Outstanding features:
- A North Carolina Certified Site
- Directly on I-95
- Rail served with infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Industrial
Laurinburg-Maxton Airport Industrial Park
Laurinburg, North Carolina
Acres: 2,000
Outstanding features:
- Site is a former Army Air Corp Base training facility
- Located half mile from I-74
- Offers flat land 30 percent cleared
- CSX rail served with infrastructure in place
Best suited for: Heavy industrial
Leland Industrial Park
Leland, North Carolina
Acres: 2,000
Outstanding features:
- CSX rail served with infrastructure in place
- Positioned .1 mile from U.S. Hwy 74 and 10 miles from Wilmington International Airport
Best suited for: Heavy manufacturing
Pasquotank Mega Site
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Acres: 5,915
Outstanding features:
- Can be subdivided to accommodate a company's needs
- Water, sewer, electric, and rail available at site
- Offers immediate access to four-laned U.S. Hwy 17
- Located 45 minutes from Norfolk International Airport (Va.) and 5 minutes from Elizabeth City Regional Airport
Best suited for: Industrial
Oklahoma Super Sites
MidAmerica Industrial Park
Pryor Creek, Oklahoma
With 9,000 acres of land, MidAmerica is the largest industrial park in Oklahoma and the largest rural park in the nation. The park is located 40 miles from Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of the top 60 metropolitan areas in the U.S., and is situated at the intersection of two major highways: U.S. 69 and U.S. 412. They don't call these roads the "NAFTA Transportation Corridor" for nothing. Fortune and Global 500 firms like SYSCO, Georgia-Pacific, Siemens AG, ConocoPhillips and ChevronTexaco call MidAmerica home.
Located along the "Wal-Mart Expressway," this super site is well known as a regional logistics center served by 70 trucking companies on a daily basis. Two trucking companies even have terminals onsite. MidAmerica is equidistant from each coast to allow tenants to reach over 60 percent of U.S. markets via truck on a same-day basis. Union Pacific also serves MidAmerica industries with lead rails that traverse the park.
If that's not enough, industries can use the low-cost barge transportation at a major port on an ice-free inland waterway navigation system. And the Tulsa International Airport, which is home to a variety of air freight companies and forwarders for expedited domestic and international shipments, is just 30 minutes from this coveted megasite.
When it comes to utility infrastructure, MidAmerica is tough to beat. Three electric utilities have onsite power generation facilities and natural gas providers that also offer highly competitive rates to park industries. And MidAmerica boasts zero outages and zero interruptions from two of its substations. The park's telecommunications network is state-of-the-art with offerings that range from a new high-speed DSL connectivity to SONET-ring protected fiber-optic broadband networks and wireless service.
MidAmerica offers industry everything it needs right on campus. Two work force development institutions have training facilities onsite. The OSU-Okmulgee center, a branch of Oklahoma State University, specializes in skill development for high-productivity advancing or leading edge technologies. Often described as Oklahoma's secret weapon, the free Training for Industry Program takes place onsite at the Northeast Technology Centers. MidAmerica boasts a potential workforce of over 280,000 people within a 30-mile radius and 848,000 within a 40-mile radius.
MidAmerica is designated as a state enterprise zone and a Foreign Trade Zone and has multiple greenfield sites that can accommodate plant construction footprints that exceed 1,000 acres. Fast-track permitting cuts the red tape and allows construction to begin in days rather than months and internal financing is available for land and building. With a comprehensive economic development package designed to meet every possible industry need, this Southern super site is sure to continue attracting the world's top companies.
For more information about MidAmerican Industrial Park, call Don Berger at 918-825-3500, send e-mail to donb@maip.com or visit www.maip.com.
Ardmore Airpark
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Acres: 504
Outstanding features:
- Site is former Air Force base
- Located at the midpoint of the Oklahoma City-Dallas-Tulsa Aviation Triangle six miles from I-35
- Positioned approximately 90 minutes from Oklahoma City and Dallas
- Ideal location to serve Midwestern and Southwestern markets (e.g., parts manufacturer could serve the automotive plants in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi)
- Solely owned by Ardmore Development Authority
Best suited for: Aviation-related industry, transportation-sensitive industries, and distribution
Fair Oaks
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Acres: 5,000+
Outstanding features:
- Large, gently sloping tract
- Ideal transportation access with excellent visibility adjacent to I-44, U.S. 412, and the new Creek Nation Turnpike (all four-lane divided highways)
- Power and water located on site or near by
- Multiple parcels available.
- BNSF railroad easily accessible on north side of property
- Positioned approximately four miles south of Tulsa's Port of Catoosa.
Best suited for: Automotive manufacturing, semiconductor fabricators, or other large industrial users.
The Land Run
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acres: 1,200
Outstanding features:
- Large, primarily level tract of land.
- Ideal transportation access with excellent visibility.
- Water/wastewater (3 MGD/2.5 MGD) service available
- High pressure gas line on site
- Dual feed 80-90 MW (two substation transformers)
- Multiple parcels available.
- Specifically designed for Semiconductor fabricators
- Shovel ready
Best suited for: Semiconductor fabricators
South Carolina Super Sites
Crescent Land & Timber Industrial Site
Rock Hill, South Carolina
The Crescent Land & Timber Industrial Site is a 1,330-acre property that has earned its place as a top super site in the South with affordable power costs, high utility reliability, and its strategic location. Crescent Land & Timber is only 20 minutes from the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and is wooing a broad industrial base from plastics to automotive to pharmaceuticals to its impressive megasite.
Located in York County, the Crescent Land & Timber Industrial Site capitalizes on its geography, offering a South Carolina expansion option for Charlotte companies. Thanks to targeted industry plans, aggressive use of incentives, and its place in the second largest financial community in the nation, York County boasts an annual average of over $200 million in industry and business development since 1995. The Crescent Land & Timber site is riding that wave to offer its tenants the best of two states.
Interstate 77 connects York County to Charlotte, N.C. and Columbia, S.C. And I-85 connects York to Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Atlanta. Additionally, the Rock Hill/York County Municipal Airport - Bryant Field is a major business and industrial airport serving the area with a new 5,500-square-foot terminal. Rail freight service is provided and Amtrak passenger service is available out of Charlotte. The Port of Charleston features modern terminals and a well deserved reputation for high productivity with more than 350 highly experienced transportation related companies in the Charleston area to meet every shipping need.
Several colleges and universities train the workforce of tomorrow and an aggressive incentive program and splendid quality of life help contribute to the success of The Crescent Land & Timber Industrial Site. For more information about The Crescent Land & Timber Industrial Site, call the York County Economic Development Board at 803-802-4300, send e-mail to mark.farris@yorkcountygov.com or visit www.ycedb.com.
L&C Tract
Richburg, South Carolina
Located just 35 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina, the L&C Tract is a Super Site worthy of special attention with 1,151 acres of available land that is a home run for automobile manufacturers and suppliers. The tract is zoned heavy industrial and is owned by Lancaster & Chester Railway Company, which also holds another 400 acres adjacent to the land and 286 acres directly across the interstate that is ideal for a supplier site.
The L&C Tract is located in between two interchanges of Interstate 77 - Route 9 and Route 56 - with more than 8,000 feet of interstate road frontage. This prime location offers automotive industry players the perfect southeastern hub for distribution to the Northeast, Southeast and Southwest. And with three major commercial airports within 65 miles, coming and going from this super site is super convenient.
L&C's owners have completed rigorous environmental and ecological studies on the land, which is ready for development in a Charlotte region that is in close proximity to 60 percent of the U.S. population and within 650 miles of 62 percent of the nation's industrial base.
For more information about the L&C Tract, call the Lancaster & Chester Railway Company at 803-286-2100, send e-mail to lcsg@comporium.net or visit www.landcrailroad.com.
Flatwood Industrial Site
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Acres: 1,533
- Outstanding features:
- Located just one mile north of I-85; seven miles from I-26
- Rail served by CSX
- Infrastructure in place including 4-inch gas line, 30-inch water main, and 12-inch sewer main
- Located 23 miles from Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
Best suited for: Automotive
Pee Dee Touchstone Energy Industrial Park "Commerce City"
Florence, South Carolina
Acres: 705
Outstanding features:
- Infrastructure in place including 4-inch natural gas, 8-inch municipal water, 6-inch sewer, fiber optics, telecom, and roads
- Located one mile from I-95 and 14 miles from I-20
- Pre-permitting completed
- Located halfway between New York City and Miami with over a mile of frontage on the East Coast's main transportation route
Best suited for: Industrial
Salisbury Site
Summerville, South Carolina
Acres: 1,146
Outstanding features:
- Close proximity to Port of Charleston and Charleston International Airport (15 miles from site)
- Infrastructure in place including 4-inch gas line, 8-inch water, and 14-inch sewer
- 3 miles from I-26; 28 miles from I-95
Best suited for: Heavy industry
Sage Mill East Park
Aiken County, South Carolina
Acres: 1,380
Outstanding features:
- An additional 3,980 acres available contiguous to site
- Located 1.1 mile northeast of I-20; 50 miles from I-26
- Served by Norfolk Southern Rail
- Infrastructure in place including 6-inch gas line, 20-inch water main, and 30-inch sewer line
Best suited for: Industrial
Research Gateway/Ingleside Industrial Park
North Charleston, South Carolina
Acres: 1,566
Outstanding features:
- Close proximity to the Port of Charleston and Charleston International Airport
- Located directly on I-26 at U.S.78 interchange; 37 miles from I-95
- Rail served by Norfolk Southern
- Infrastructure in place including 6-inch natural gas, 20-inch sewer, and 24-inch water
Best suited for: Industrial
Tennessee Super Sites
Clarksville/Montgomery Corporate Business Park - Phase II
Clarksville, Tennessee
Acres: 1,000
Outstanding features:
- Positioned directly on I-24
- Rail spur can be arranged
- A skilled, readily available labor pool, location in a non-union community that is home to many international companies
Best suited for: Industrial
Enterprise South Industrial Park
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Acres: 1,200
Outstanding features:
- Convenient to three major interstates (one mile from I-75), two major rail lines, and 16,000 miles of navigable waterways
- Utilities in place including water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and fiber optics
- Surrounded by 3,000 auto suppliers in area
- Positioned just 12 miles from downtown Chattanooga; airport within 7 miles
Best suited for: Industrial
Texas Super Sites
Sharyland Plantation
Mission/McAllen, Texas
Located in the nation's fourth fastest growing city, The Business Park at Sharyland Plantation is a dream come true for auto industry players looking leverage the benefits of the Southern Automotive Corridor. Automotive assemblers and Tier 1 automotive suppliers alike will appreciate the grand buffet of world-class amenities this Class A super site offers on 1,200 available acres for manufacturing, distribution and other business uses.
Sharyland's 6,000-acre master-planned community includes industrial, commercial, residential and entertainment venues owned by Hunt Valley Development of Mission Texas. In fact, Sharyland Plantation residential community includes more than 800 newly constructed homes ranging from $130,000 to $1 million, perfect for up and coming executives or Fortune 1000 CEOs.
Sharyland is strategically located to serve the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Northern Mexico with close proximity to Reynosa, Mexico and 24 to 48 hour access to 80 percent of the U.S. and Mexican consumer markets. This southern super site is located near two international bridges and two international airports, is only one hour from a seaport and enjoys rail service. The premier utilities infrastructure is notable with underground loop fed power distribution by Sharyland Utilities, dual fiber optic suppliers and natural gas. This is just one reason why the community offers one of the lowest costs of doing business in North America.
While Sharyland is a no-brainer for the automotive industry (the super site is within a three-hour radius from four automotive assembly plants) General Original Equipment Manufacturers, consumer goods/electronics manufacturers, warranty/repair service centers and distribution facilities are also finding Sharyland a comfortable home base.
Fortune 1000 companies Bissell, Black & Decker, Corning, Delco, Emerson Electric, General Electric, Matsushita, TRW, Nokia, Panasonic, Seagate, Siemens, Whirlpool and Symbol Technologies, to name a few, call the park home.
Designated a Foreign Trade Zone, Sharyland Business Park presents healthy cash flow advantages and additional government incentives are available through the Center for Applied Technology and Training, which is located less than a mile from the super site. With a proven, abundant and productive labor force and competitive wage rates, this gateway to Mexico more than earns its distinction as one of the most marvelous mega-sites in the south.
For more information about the Sharyland Business Park, call Hunt Valley Development at 956-585-9595 or visit www.sharylandplantation.com.
The American Brecco Tract
Rosenberg, Texas
The American Brecco Tract is an industrial gem tucked away in the rural outskirts of Houston. Manufacturers that depend on trucks and/or rail to distribute products or need huge amounts of property to build production facilities can bank on these 1,600 acres of flat, contiguous, easily developable land owned by American Brecco. While this megasite is well suited for any industry, it is an especially ideal location for large distribution centers, warehousing facilities and logistics centers because of its strategic location as part of the Houston metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
The American Brecco Tract is located between U.S. Highway 90-A and State Highway 36 (connected on the west side by Highway loop 10 to U.S. 59). The Texas Transportation Commission has plans to build Interstate 69, the proposed NAFTA Highway, which will take Rosenberg residents straight into the heart of downtown Houston. The site is about 40 miles away from a seaport and 10 miles from a commercial airport.
What's more, this attractive tract has rail service on both sides of the property. Union Pacific Railroad runs alongside the entire southern border of the property, adjacent to U.S. 90-A and BNSF Railroad tracks the northern side of the property along State Highway 36. Rail spurs also cross Highway 36 to the site. Having dual rail service offers tenants a critical advantage during a time when rail and tariff overloads can make it difficult to secure lines.
Although utilities are not yet on site, the City of Rosenberg has the capacity and ability to bring the necessary water, sewage and power to this southern Super Site. The American Brecco Tract also features a gas transmission line running across the property to allow manufacturers who process with natural gas to access the resources through a distributor rather than a retail site.
Rosenberg is less than 40 miles from Houston and its international airport and just 350 miles from the Mexican border. The city is one of the hottest areas in the Houston MSA with development plans to build 8,000 homes and pending deals with national retailers totaling more than 1 million square feet. With a skilled labor force and a local government with a pro-business attitude, American Brecco Tract tenants will enjoy a quiet rural lifestyle with big city amenities on one of the south's most exciting Super Sites.
For more information about the The American Brecco Tract, call Mike Chance at Rosenberg Development Corporation at 832-595-3330, send e-mail to mikec@ci.rosenberg.tx.us or visit www.ci.rosenberg.tx.us.
Lakeside Business District
Flower Mound, Texas (in the middle of the DFW Metroplex)
Acres: 1,500
Outstanding features:
- $30 million of new infrastructure improvements
- Less than five minutes north of DFW International Airport and less than ten minutes from Alliance Airport
- Instant access to highways 121, 114, and I-635
- Over 1.4 million SF of class-A industrial space (Phase One)
- Another 790,000 SF planned (Phase Two)
Best suited for: Corporate headquarters, office
Denton Creek District
Flower Mound, Texas
Acres: 1,500
Outstanding features:
- Water and sewer infrastructure improvements scheduled for completion in 2005
- Site offers rail access and frontage along I-35W
Best suited for: Industrial
Brooks City-Base
San Antonio, Texas
Acres: 1,300
Outstanding features:
- $11 million in storm-water improvements
- Designed as a research park
- 550,000 square feet retail space (Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and other retail stores)
- Former Brooks Air Force base
Ongoing Air Force research in aerospace medicine and human engineering
- 3,000-square-foot San Antonio Metropolitan Health District biosafety lab
- Hydrogen fuel cells research funded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Gas Technology Institute, and San Antonio's City Public Service
- Funded $20.5 million emergency operations center will serve as the joint center for city of San Antonio and Bexar County disaster-management teams
Best suited for: Biotech and other research-intensive industries
Mexia Business and Industrial Park
Mexia, Texas
Acres: 587 (contiguous with the existing Mexia Industrial Park)
Outstanding features:
- High voltage electrical service and high pressure natural gas available
- Abundant water available from municipal source
- Fronted on three sides by state and county highways.
- Easily developed custom ingress and egress
- Adjacent to the Union Pacific Railway
- Easy access to Interstates 35 and 45
- Tax abatements and other financial incentives are available
- Excellent property prices (forgivable loan potential)
Best suited for: Industrial
La Quinta Site
Corpus Christi, Texas
Acres: 1,084
Outstanding features:
- Located along the Corpus Christi Ship Channel with access to deep water, rail and highway
- International Container Terminal planned with available sites for automotive, distribution and other industrial functions
- Last site of this size on the Gulf Coast located on deep water
Best suited for: Any industry benefiting from deep-water access
Fairway Farms
San Augustine, Texas
Acres: 1,200
Outstanding features:
- Can be annexed to City which would be able to provide all utilities and services
- Approximately two miles highway frontage (TX Hwy. 21 East)
- Near major four-lane planned east/west Corridor running from Atlantic ocean through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to Laredo, TX at the Mexico border (parts already completed)
- Approximately 40 miles from I-49 to the east
- 35 miles from US 59 (designated to become I-69); 90 miles from Port of Beaumont; 200 miles from Houston; 90 miles from Shreveport, LA
- Abundant water and raw wood products available
- Small fiberglass boat plant at site willing to re-tool to make fiberglass parts and pieces for automotive, electronic, or other use
Best suited for: Electronics, automotive, assembly, all types of manufacturing
T-Slash-Bar Ranch
San Antonio, Texas
Acres: 609
Outstanding features
- Approximately one-mile frontage on U.S. Hwy 90 and Texas 211
- Level site cleared of trees
- Close proximity to Texas Research Park, Citigroup, Briggs Ranch Development. - Two Edwards Aquifer wells on site, with interim permit for 1,200 acre-feet of water per year.
- Municipal sewer in place along with fiber optics
Best suited for: Industrial
Laredo North
Laredo, Texas
Acres: 1,500
Outstanding features:
- Located on I-35, the NAFTA highway with ample buffer and full access from highway
- FTZ can be established as well as in-bond services
- Serviced by both Rail and truck
- Major cargo jet service to Latin America via nearby international airport
- Port of Laredo nearby
Best suited for: Automotive and transportation, electronics, fabrication and assembly, medical products manufacturing, large equipment handling and assembly, and aerospace
"Last of a Breed"
Comal County, Texas (north of New Braunfels)
Acres: 1,015
Outstanding features:
- Located directly on I-35 at the heart of the San Antonio-Austin Corridor with more than one mile of freeway frontage
- Five-acre tank on the property
- 25 minutes from San Antonio International Airport; 55 minutes from Austin's Bergstrom Airport; 10 minutes from New Braunfels' regional airport
- Minutes from Central Texas Technology Center (workforce training and development)
Best suited for: Automotive, semi-conductor, electronics, biotech, research and development, and/or multi-use venture.
The Adkins Property
Georgetown, Texas
Acres: 517
Outstanding features:
- Within one mile of I-35 NAFTA Corridor
- Road frontage on all four sides
- TASUS (Toyota Tier II supplier) currently constructing new site in Georgetown
Best suited for: Automotive, light manufacturing, distribution
RailPort Industrial Park
Midlothian, Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth area)
Acres: 1,700
Outstanding features:
- A prime DFW Metroplex location near Interstates 45, 35, and 360
- True "at dock" dual rail; served by Union Pacific and Burlington Northern/Santa Fe
- Competitive dual sources of electricity and natural gas
- Excellent logistical location for Texas and the NAFTA corridor
- Current tenants-- American National Power, Toys "R" Us Distribution Center, Target Distribution Center, and Kehe Foods Distribution Center
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics, distribution, large rail-served industrial users
Campbell Tract
Conroe, Texas
Acres: 2,740
Outstanding features:
- Engineer dream site two miles from Interstate 45 (main transportation corridor between Houston and Dallas)
- Perfect topography for mega-site user
- Huge flat pad site (approx. 500 acres) for improvements with excellent fall on pad edges for detention.
- Rail frontage (Missouri Pacific); adjoins Montgomery County Airport
- 40 miles north of Houston; 30 miles north of Bush Intercontinental Airport
Best suited for: Automotive
Cedar Crossing
Chambers County, Texas
Acres: 15,000
Outstanding features:
- Positioned just 35 miles east of the Houston Central Business District
- Offers strategic intermodal transportation to the central U.S. in a controlled park setting (ideal for operations requiring buffer zones)
- The 5th largest industrial park globally with sites of all sizes up to 2,000 acres
- A variety of sites for manufacturing facilities, plants, and waterfront operations
- Provides easy access to interstate highway system, major truck routes, and barge access (with excellent proximity to the Houston Ship Channel)
- Other tenants include 235 acre/ 2,000,000 square foot Wal-Mart regional distribution facility, 755,000 square foot Home Depot regional distribution facility, and 1,000,000 square foot Seapac facility
- Foreign Trade Zone sites available
- 1,500 rail car storage with rail service provided by both Union Pacific and BNSF
Best suited for: All types of industrial users (distribution and manufacturing, fabrication, petrochemical, aerospace and high tech)
North Shore Commercial Development District
Rowlett, Texas
Acres: 1,000
Outstanding features:
- Zoned for Technology/Research
- Positioned directly on U.S. 190, the George Bush Tollway
- Located less than 5 miles from Interstate 30, less than 10 miles from U.S. 75, and less than 10 miles from Interstate 635
Best suited for: Corporate campus, technology/research, electronics, automotive
Texas Central Industrial District
Waco, Texas
Acres: 550 contiguous acres in the 3,000-acre Texas Central Industrial Park
Outstanding features:
- On-site Union Pacific high-speed track
- Located within one mile of the intersection of Interstate 35 and Texas Highway 6
- Infrastructure in place including minimum 12.5kv distribution line, 3- to 8-inch HIP gas line, 8-inch municipal water line and 8- to 24-inch municipal sewer lines
- Texas Central Industrial Park is home to a number of production and distribution facilities including Allergan, Coca Cola North America, Masterfoods USA, Sherwin Williams, and Tractor Supply
- Site has seen a 32 percent increase in property values since 2000
Best suited for: Manufacturing and logistics
Texas Central Aeroplex
Waco, Texas
Acres: 700 contiguous acres with additional 327-acre site across Aviation Parkway
Outstanding features:
- Uniquely situated at the campus of state's largest industrial college, Texas State Technical College (offering workforce training in aviation and avionics technology and other customized programs)
- Adjacent to industrial airport (two parallel runways, wide-bodied jet capability, FAA certified controllers)
- Adjacent to Waco's largest industrial employer, L-3 Communications Integrated Systems
- Easy access to I-35
Best suited for: Aviation and aerospace
Southside Initiative
San Antonio, Texas
Acres: 1,700
Outstanding features:
- Located a stone's throw from the new site for Toyota Motor Corp. North American Assembly Plant (currently under construction)
- Site is almost flat and easily developable
- Offers more than two miles of frontage on the Union Pacific RR
- Site has 4000' frontage on Loop 410 (San Antonio's primary artery)
- Offers a vast labor supply- site is located within minutes of a densely populated working class demographic
- A large university is currently focused on this immediate area for a new campus
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics, manufacturing, or distribution
Colorado Crossing
Austin, Texas
Acres: 650
Outstanding features:
- Pre-permitted mixed use, but can easily be rezoned and replatted
- Less than three miles from I-35
- Extraordinary water, electric and gas availability - redundant utilities installed to service Lockheed Martin; same utilities currently service the Austin Bergstrom International Airport.
- Rail spur in close proximity to site
Best suited for: Heavy manufacturing needing lots of water, power and quick access to air cargo port
Jasper Airport Industrial Park
Jasper County, Texas
Acres: 519
Outstanding features:
- 119 acres fully developed with all necessary streets, water, sewer, fiber optic, and power in place; 400 additional acres available for development
- Situated on a 5,500-foot runway with parallel taxiway and connecting industrial park taxiways and full services, including jet fuel
- Rural location makes for uncongested airspace
- Easy commute to nearby Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport
- Located in a quality attainment area making permitting easier.
Best suited for: Air related business such as manufacturing, repair, and refurb, as well as distribution
Bastrop Site
Travis/Bastrop County, Texas
Acres: 3,000
Outstanding features:
- Site has a new road, water, sewer, gas and two electric power sources
- Currently only one tenant is on the 3,000+ acre property
- Located in the 9th-fastest growing county in Texas and the 36th-fastest in the nation; City of Bastrop has a retail trade territory of 137,000
Best suited for: Industrial
The O'Connor Tract
Victoria, Texas
Acres: 1,600
Outstanding features:
- Victoria Barge Canal intersects the property
- A four-lane divided highway runs adjacent to the property
- Electrical transmission and 30-inch gas main on site
- Tract offers a nearly rectangular configuration with no natural obstructions, adjacent to Dupont's Victoria plant and bounded by the Guadalupe River
- Less than 10 miles from U.S. 59, which has been designated as a "high priority corridor" that will become the NAFTA Superhighway I-69
- Union Pacific rail crosses tract; BNSF could add additional lead track to establish dual rail
- Port of Lavacca-Point Comfort is a deep-water port with a 36-foot ship channel located 30 miles from site
Best suited for: Automotive, aerospace, most large-scale industrial
Virginia Super Sites
Progress Park
Wythe County, Virginia
In the Purest of Definitions, Progress Park is a Super Site. Wythe County's Progress Park is strategically located at the intersection of I-77, I-81 and future I-74. Four million people are within 100 miles of Progress Park with Roanoke, VA to the northeast, the North Carolina Triad to the southeast, Charlotte, North Carolina to the south, the Tri-Cities of Tennessee (Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City) to the southwest, and Charleston, West Virginia to the north. The greenfield property consists of 1,210 acres with additional large single-owner tracts adjacent.
One of the most unique features of this site is that future plans allow for the development of an inland port intermodal facility (customs served with Foreign Trade Zone status) within the park with a direct rail connection to the Hampton Roads Ports. The park is already served by a mainline of the Norfolk Southern Railway. And, it is located near the new "smart road" research facility at Virginia Tech University, one of the nation's premier research institutions.
Utilities have been a high priority in the planning and development of Progress Park. It is currently served by a 16-inch waterline from the Town of Wytheville and a low-volume force main wastewater line to the regional wastewater treatment facility. A 135kV power line and fiber-optic service are adjacent to the park as is an additional 24-inch interstate natural gas pipeline currently under construction.
Progress Park is also located within an Enterprise Zone, a designation that provides much higher local and state incentives for users. By looking at a U.S. map, Wythe County's superb southwest Virginia location is clear. Wythe County sits in the middle of a radius loosely formed by Raleigh, Richmond, Charleston (W.V.), Knoxville, and Charlotte, That being the case, a distributor can conceivably serve the Northeast and Midwest as easily as the Southeast with this location. Progress Park is also superbly suited for automotive, plastics and general manufacturing.
For more information on the Progress Park super site, contact Alan Hawthorne, Ph.D., executive director of Joint Industrial Development Authority of Wythe Co. at (276) 223-3370 or DirectorJIDA@wytheville.org. The organization's Web site is www.WytheIDA.org.
Meadowville Technology Park
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Acres: 1,500
Outstanding features:
- Located along I-295 with excellent access to Interstates 95/85/64
- High skilled area labor force
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering nearby
- Rail service available
Best suited for: Semiconductors, electronics, pharmaceuticals, automotive
White Oak Technology Park
Henrico County, Virginia
Acres: 1,100
Outstanding features:
- Excellent access near I-295/I-64 crossroads
- High skilled labor force
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering nearby
- Large utility capacities
- Close proximity to Richmond International Airport
- Home to Siemens & HP
- 700 contiguous acres available
Best suited for: Semiconductors, electronics, pharmaceuticals
Danville/Pittsylvania Regional Airport
Danville, Virginia
Acres: 530
Outstanding features:
- Located along U.S. 58 and U.S. 29
- Large utility capacities (city owned)
- Rail served
- Located in an Enterprise Zone
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics
Hunter Trust Site
Prince William County, Virginia
Acres: 1,100
Outstanding features:
- Highly skilled, high-tech workforce
- Close proximity to Washington D.C. and Washington-Dulles Airport
- 700 contiguous acres available
Best suited for: Semiconductors, electronics, pharmaceuticals
Prince George Site
Prince George County, Virginia
Acres: 1,600 total
Outstanding features:
- Located along I-295
- Close proximity to interstates 95 and 85
- Good access to ports of Hampton Roads
- Located in an Enterprise Zone; 500 contiguous acres available
Best suited for: Automotive, electronics
New River Valley Commerce Park
Acres: 530
Outstanding features:
- Located near Interstate 81
- Site has a graded 40-acre pad
- Adjacent to New River Valley Airport (a Foreign Trade Zone)
- Located near Virginia Tech
- Site has Enterprise Zone designation
Best suited for: Electronics, high tech
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