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Each of the five counties in the district - Northampton, Halifax, Edgecombe, Nash and Wilson - recently presented a list of 10 suggested economic development projects to the agency's Council of Governments.
The list, which outlines projects that should bring new jobs to the region, is part of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, a plan which the U.S. Department of Commerce -Economic Development Administration requires of all regions designated as an economic development district to create.
This strategy was approved by the Northampton County Board of Commissioners when they signed a resolution during their meeting Sept. 5.
Before agreeing, Commissioner James Boone asked if there was a way to switch the vital projects or other listed projects.
Wyatt McGhee, a planner with Upper Coastal Plain who brought the resolution before the county, indicated if the county made changes to the document, it could have a “domino” effect. However, if a really significant project had been left out they could make an adjustment.
County Economic Development Director Gary Brown said, “projects are placed on (the list) as to position them for potential funding from the EDA; that said, there's a much more detailed process that any particular project needs to go through before it actually qualifies. Part of that is a job creation commitment on the part of the particular private sector company.
He said whether a project will be funded by the EDA relies as much on timing as anything else. A few years back, the Lowe's Distribution project was perfectly aligned and subsequently, the county was able to receive EDA funds. He said at this point it does not look at if any of the listed projects are at the same stage, however, “that could change at any second.”
Although any of the 10 projects could possibly be funded, the CEDS allows the county to highlight three as “vital,” or most important. Vital projects in Northampton County include the Advanced Vehicle Research Center, Northampton Commerce Park and Project Everclear.
Project Everclear entails the construction of an ethanol manufacturing plant with a co-location of bio-diesel and carbon dioxide plants. The facility will produce in excess of 75 million gallons of ethanol per year. The project will require public sector infrastructure development for process water, domestic wastewater, a rail spur and natural gas service at an estimated cost of $6 million. It will create an estimated 50 to 75 direct jobs.
The much-anticipated AVRC entails “the development of a fully-equipped and comprehensive research and testing center for the development of new vehicles and related components.”
Public sector project involvement includes the extension of state roads and all utilities.
The third vital project is the Northampton Commerce Park. It includes the development of a 500-acre county-owned property abutting Interstate 95 as an industrial park focused on light-manufacturing, assembly and distribution particularly for just-in-time- or time-sensitive highway delivery, and the extension of wastewater service and construction of elevated storage for fire service.
The other seven projects on the list include:
€ Southside Regional Wastewater. Development of a regional wastewater treatment facility to serve the towns of Rich Square and Woodland. The project would combine two limited capacity wastewater treatment operations in to a new combined larger capacity treatment facility.
€ Garysburg Multi-Tenant Retail. Development of a 10-acre property owned by the Town of Garysburg for multi-tenant commercial use. The project would provide a retail/service center and encourage/enable retail and service industry development in the town. The town currently has a substantially limited retail and service industry activity. Public sector cost would be for extension of water and wastewater services. This could provide 75 additional jobs when completed.
€ Market-Rate Rental Housing. Development of up to 100 multifamily, market-rate rental housing units. Units would likely be developed in four or more clusters, geographically dispersed through the county. Currently there is a critical shortage of non-subsidized rental housing in the county. Demand for market-rate rental housing is significant, largely driven by entry level and transitional professionals such as teachers, law enforcement personnel, industrial management and technicians. Public sector costs for site acquisition and infrastructure.
€ Hampton Colony & Marketplace. Development of closely located properties totaling in excess of 1,000 acres as a multi-use retail, office, recreation and residential community. The project mirrors some of the development which has occurred in the Williamsburg, Va., area and would include destination retailing, hotel and restaurant development, a golf-residential community. Public sector cost is for water and wastewater system upgrades and the extension of natural gas services to the western side of Interstate 95. This could provide 250 to 400 jobs depending on the scale of office and retail development.
€ Interstate Water & Wastewater Interconnect System. Substantial construction upgrade of RRSD water and wastewater systems to facilitate expansion of service and replacement of older unreliable system components. Includes water system upgrades and development of wastewater force mail along Interstate 95 from N.C. Highway 48 south to the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District treatment plant. Project will permit the collection and transport of wastewater to serve commercial, industrial and residential wastewater treatment needs. The project would serve the Northampton Commerce Park, the North Carolina Virginia Welcome Center on Interstate 95 and the Hampton Colony Marketplace project. The project includes a bore under the Roanoke River to connect with the RRSD treatment plant.
€Project Green Thumb. “Project entails the construction of a large commercial greenhouse operation in the first phase coupled with an integrated ethanol production facility in phase 2. Public sector extension of wastewater and natural gas service required. Project Green Thumb would create 45 jobs in phase one and 25 additional jobs in the second phase.
€Severn Natural Gas Extension. Construction of a 6-mile, medium-pressure natural gas line to serve two large industries in the town of Severn. Construction would be through Piedmont Natural Gas with public subsidy of construction costs. This would help retain some 349 jobs in the county.
If you have any questions or comments about this story, please contact Managing Editor John Moeur at (252) 537-2505 Ext. 233 or via e-mail at johnmoeur@rrdailyherald.com.
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