These two sites could be the next mega employers in Lancaster, Chester counties
Two areas primed for business growth have a new partner to help make it happen.
The Lancaster County Air Rail Park and Interstate Business Park in Chester County are the latest areas to benefit from a Duke Energy program designed to grow industrial and business sites. Duke will work with elected and economic development leaders in those counties on plans to get sites ready for development. Each site also is eligible to apply for a $10,000 matching grant.
Stu Heishman, Duke vice president of economic development and business recruitment, said in a release Monday that the company remained committed to site readiness and economic development planning despite the economic challenges of the pandemic.
“We are seeing a significant increase in project activity across the Carolinas, and demand for qualified industrial sites has never been stronger,” Heishman said. “Our team will continue to work with local and regional partners to aggressively advance the readiness of our prime industrial sites.”
The site readiness program dates back to 2005. Almost 80 properties have benefited with 18 major business projects in South Carolina leading to almost 3,000 new jobs and more than $1 billion in capital investment. Duke, based in Charlotte, operates the program throughout the Carolinas.
Duke’s business recruitment team markets sites nationwide to companies eyeing expansion or relocation of their operations.
Robert Long, Chester County economic development director, said Duke has been instrumental in industry recruitment.
“You don’t get Giti Tire, you don’t get Roseburg Forest Products and you don’t get Gallo Winery to come to Chester County without their help,” Long said. “And we are grateful to have such a great community partner that truly understands economic development.”
Interstate Business Park is on the southwest corner of I-77 at exit 65 in Chester County, adjacent to Giti Tire along the S.C. Highway 9 corridor. It’s roughly halfway between Charlotte and Columbia. The site has 109 acres with full utilities. There are two access points with traffic signals and the possibility for seven to nine buildings with more than 1 million square feet of space.
Lancaster Air Rail Park, where Duke will work on a second phase, is 571 acres. That site is on the
S.C. Highway 9 corridor in Lancaster County, served by L&C Railroad with connections to CSX and Norfolk Southern lines. Interstate 77 is 15 minutes from the site.
Past site readiness work in Lancaster County aided new business recruitment like Haile Metals Lab, Fancy Pokket Bakery and Don Construction Products.
“The information and analysis generated through the program has already played a pivotal role in our efforts to market the sites and attract the interest of sizable industrial projects,” said Jamie Gilbert, executive director with Lancaster County economic development.
Lancaster and Chester counties aren’t new to Duke. In 2018 Duke tabbed a 400-acre vacant property off U.S. 521 for its program. A year later Duke picked property near the Lancaster County airport, and the 724-acre Steele property.
This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 11:50 AM.
