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The Daily Herald Staff Writer
  
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“We are not finished in entirety on anything here,” said Brown, who is the economic development director for Northampton County and serves on the board of directors for NCCAR.
NCCAR is an automotive product research, testing and development center being developed on a 620-acre site just off Interstate 95 in Northampton County.
“We can hear 95 but can’t see it,” Brown said. “We believe we are in the right spot,” he said.
He added there is convenient access to I-95, to hotels and restaurants in order to facilitate business needs of the center’s clients. NCCAR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit directed by a board of directors comprised of a majority with automotive industry experience.
Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Allen Purser said the purpose of the tour was to see the progress of the center. He added it was one of the chamber’s legislative agenda items.
“We wanted to let people know what’s going on with the project in order to have more advocating for it,” he said.
Brown said the center evolved three independent market studies. Before the tour begin, participants saw crews working the industrial access road leading into the site. Work started on the road three weeks ago. “They have moved mountains literally,” Brown said.
Funding for the NCCAR construction and operations has come from:
• The North Carolina General Assembly with $14.75 million
• Northampton County with $1.8 million
• North Carolina Department of Transportation with $1,492,000.
• United States Department of Energy with $475,000.
• United States Department of Transportation with $375,000.
• Tobacco Trust Fund with $300,000..
• North Carolina Rural Center with $292,500.
• $1 million from the Golden Leaf Foundation.
“It’s been a never ending process with no private funds,” Brown said. “The purpose was to be independent.”
NCCAR is in Phase 1A and Brown talked and showed how the progress. He expects Phase 1A to be completed by mid-January to early February.
When NCCAR opens, it will be low key. “We’re having a series of soft opening events,” Brown said. “We will give one-on-one attention to clients and customers to allow them to ask questions and kick the tires.”
NCCAR is one of the only truly independent facilities in the nation, he said. “We have the ability to collaborate with university researchers in the nation and not just North Carolina,” he said.
One thing he pointed out was the changes in the automotive industry over the last year.
“In the last year, automakers have been devastated across the board in program development and manufacturing,” he said. “This time last year, everyone had their resume out. They couldn’t see the bottom because they were still falling.”
But he is cautiously optimistic about industry now. “We hit the bottom but are on the rebound,” he said.
The first stop of the tour was at a security kiosk, which is the first of several to be built on the site. The kiosk will ensure research will be safeguarded. It will “be safe but private research without prying eyes,” Brown said.
Chamber members took a ride on 2.1 miles of the 4.53 ride and handling course. Before leading the way, Brown stressed they should travel no more than 30 miles per hour.
The course is not a race track but designed to get maximum performance from a vehicle so “it will perform exceptionally on a highway.”
“This course is not designed to be a race course,” Brown said. Currently, there is one circuit which can go in either direction but ultimately, there will be five circuits. Brown talked about three current projects underway.
NCCAR has partnered with North Carolina State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, North Carolina A&T, East Carolina University and Elizabeth City State University to develop driver assisting technologies for impaired drivers.
Most of the contractors for the construction are from Eastern North Carolina. “We have had great weather throughout construction,” Brown said. “God smiled on us. We have come in under budget across the board.” He added the contractors have done an incredible complex job under budget. “We are not only thankful, but also proud. I recommend them,” he said.
Brown was asked about how NCCAR will impact the local economy for Halifax and Northampton counties. “It’s hard to predict and it depends on how quickly we do Phase IA,” he said.
He believes when companies first come to the Operations Engineering and Garage Facility, they will come for the first time for a few weeks with their full tool kit. “If they like what they see, they will develop a long term presence,” eh said. “When they get here, they will find a full facility to meet their needs.” And the next time, he said, they will not bring the full tool kit. “Ultimately, they will ship the vehicle in and say “you guys run the program,” Brown said.
The final stop was the two-story 28,000 square foot Operations Engineering and Garage Facility, which has six individual garages, two conference rooms and engineering suites.
Brown stressed NCCAR was not intended to be a creator of jobs, but an incubator. “It is intended to spur business and commerce in the Roanoke Valley and the state of North Carolina to entice other companies,” he said. “Hopefully, we will be a catalyst for creating 10,000 jobs in North Carolina.”
Marshall Cherry, vice president at Roanoke Electric Cooperative, said he was very impressed. “I was not aware the project had moved along so quickly,” he said. “It will be an economic boost for the region.”
Donna Clements said she was also impressed with NCCAR and thought it was phenomenal.
“This facility transports our community into a different level of significance,” she said. “This puts us on the same level as some of the most sophisticated and glamorous systems in the world. And it’s here in Northampton and it is being run by a non profit.”
Comments
Justin Campbell wrote on Oct 25, 2009 2:09 PM:
If a track was opened for local racers or for clubs like the SCCA there would be things for people to do around here.
Possibly a circuit to hold actual events for larger more well known franchises around the country would be great for this community and bring business to the area. "