Consultants Report 330-Acre Stoneville Site Suitable for a Variety of Industries -
Last Thursday, August 9, 2009, Stoneville and Rockingham County officials heard a consultant's report about the potential for a large industrial site near Stoneville. A privately owned 330-acre site at the intersection of US 220 and Business 220 was the subject of the report.
The study was funded through Duke Energy's "Site Readiness Program" in cooperation with the Rockingham County Partnership for Economic & Tourism Development. The goal of the Site Readiness Program is to identify, improve and increase awareness of industrial sites in the region that are best suited for new manufacturing facilities.
"The Site Readiness Program is a great opportunity for us to improve the way we look at sites and the way we respond to opportunities for major projects,” said Graham Pervier, president of the Rockingham County Partnership. "We get to learn from two top firms in a very realistic scenario."
The study and report were prepared by McCallum Sweeny Consulting of Spartanburg, SC, a firm that specializes in assisting major corporations with site location decisions. Jeanette Goldsmith of McCallum Sweeny explained the site selection process. Goldsmith stressed that attracting investment and jobs is highly competitive and that being prepared creates an incredibly important competitive advantage. She characterized successful communities as those with strong strategic plans, pro-active marketing, professional economic development teams, and industrial sites that are "ready to go”. “Communities must be prepared with sites that are ready for development,” said Goldsmith.
O'Brien/Atkins Associates, a Raleigh architecture and engineering firm, assisted with the report. O'Brien/Atkins prepared a "build-ability study" to determine the acreage that is actually available for development. The firm evaluated the highways, roads, water, sewer, electric power and natural gas available at the site. O'Brien/Atkins also prepared a conceptual master plan for the tract, showing the possible locations for several large industrial buildings. In the end, the team of consultants judged the site to be suitable for a wide variety of industries.
McCallum Sweeny gave the Partnership several recommendations for additional steps needed to get the site fully "ready to go" for industrial development. Pervier says that the Partnership will cooperate with the owners of the site to act on the recommendations.
Among those attending the meeting were Stoneville Town Council members Jodi Lester, Jerry Odell, James Scales and Vera Smith; County Commissioners Amelia Dallas and Bobby Stanley; and Arnold Robertson, chairman of the Partnership. Other representatives of the Town, the County, the Partnership, Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas were also present.
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