Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Image by Al Blanton
The Walker County Development Authority (WCEIDA) is making strategic strides toward enhancing the local economy, thanks to Alabama’s SEEDS Act. Officially named the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act, SEEDS provides grants to accelerate the development of industry-ready sites in the state.
Recognizing the SEEDS Act’s potential, WCEIDA leveraged it to advance the acquisition of a 200-acre site for the Heritage Industrial Park project off I-22 Exit 78 in East Walker County.
“We had already been working to acquire this property, and the County Commission had already committed to fund that purchase for us at a total of $600,000,” says David Knight, WCEIDA Executive Director. “But when we realized that the new legislation allowed for the purchase of property, which is something that’s never been available before, we slowed down just a little bit and sought the opportunity to reduce the obligation that the county would have by hopefully receiving some state grant funds to help with the purchase.”
The county’s successful application led to a grant of $343,200, significantly reducing the county commission’s required local match amount to $256,800. Knight says this number has been raised to $300,000 to accommodate engineering funds.
“We’ve already spent approximately $70,000 on engineering work to help verify that the site is what we need it to be for the use that we intend it for. But we’ve got some additional engineering costs coming up, so we rounded up the final fund request, and the County Commission approved at their last meeting,” Knight says.
Looking ahead, the focus is on preparing the site for development. Next steps involve site grading and preparation work, which are essential for making the land attractive to potential investors. WCEIDA aims to attract a diverse range of industries to the new industrial park, from automotive to wood products and metal fabrication, and is open to ventures in information technology, data centers, and other industries. Knight emphasizes the goal of diversifying the county’s industrial base to ensure resilience against economic downturns in specific sectors.
Knight says The Heritage Industrial Park project also benefits from its location near the Birmingham Metro area. “In addition to having quality product available, the next thing companies want when looking at a particular area is assurance that a workforce is available. Usually, a project will consider a driving time of 45 minutes to 60 minutes when evaluating where and how they’ll get their workforce. So, this location enhances our opportunity to attract new industry.”
While work is underway, the anticipated completion date for this project has yet to be announced. WL
To learn more about the Walker County Development Authority, visit wceida.com
