Economic Development - Expansions and Relocations

[KJHburg]

NC and our megasites on the short list for major automotive 

""More than a year after North Carolina lost out on a Toyota-Mazda plant, it looks like it has another real shot at winning an automotive assembly operation — and potentially thousands of jobs.  Indian automotive manufacturer Mahindra Automotive North America confirms North Carolina is on its shortlist for a new plant.   Company spokesman Richard Ansell says that, in addition to “a site in North Carolina,” Mahindra is considering locating in South Carolina, Texas, Arizona and Michigan.  And the company already has an operation near Detroit, where its first manufacturing site launched. That site employs more than 500 people, “all with the common goal of putting Mahindra vehicles to work on (and off) North American roads,” according to its website. And Michigan has another big advantage in the vacated Buick City site in Flint, which Mahindra has reportedly confirmed it’s exploring.""

Wonder if the old Phillip Morris site is on the list of NC sites considered?

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/08/09/global-automaker-shortlists-nc-for-manufacturing.html  subscriber 

https://www.wraltechwire.com/2019/08/09/indian-vehicle-manufacturer-puts-nc-on-shortlist-for-new-1b-plant-2000-jobs/

Edited August 9, 2019 by KJHburg

[Seaboard Fellow]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

NC and our megasites on the short list for major automotive 

""More than a year after North Carolina lost out on a Toyota-Mazda plant, it looks like it has another real shot at winning an automotive assembly operation — and potentially thousands of jobs.  Indian automotive manufacturer Mahindra Automotive North America confirms North Carolina is on its shortlist for a new plant.   Company spokesman Richard Ansell says that, in addition to “a site in North Carolina,” Mahindra is considering locating in South Carolina, Texas, Arizona and Michigan.  And the company already has an operation near Detroit, where its first manufacturing site launched. That site employs more than 500 people, “all with the common goal of putting Mahindra vehicles to work on (and off) North American roads,” according to its website. And Michigan has another big advantage in the vacated Buick City site in Flint, which Mahindra has reportedly confirmed it’s exploring.""

Wonder if the old Phillip Morris site is on the list of NC sites considered?

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/08/09/global-automaker-shortlists-nc-for-manufacturing.html  subscriber 

https://www.wraltechwire.com/2019/08/09/indian-vehicle-manufacturer-puts-nc-on-shortlist-for-new-1b-plant-2000-jobs/

The Phillip Morris site is the best site for an auto manufacturing plant out of the NC mega sites. It has the best combination of high capacity rail (NS/NCRR Main) and highway access (recently widened I-85).  Unfortunately the other States have established supply chains to support auto manufacturing. I think Michigan has the best chance to land this based upon the reasons listed in the article, including the potential use of the now defunct Buick City site. I hate that Auto Manufacturers use NC as a stalking horse to maximize incentive offers elsewhere on an annual basis. I still hear about Mercedes Benz not coming to Mebane in the early 1990s when I visit my childhood home. This has been happening for a long time.  I hope that I am wrong. 

[KJHburg]

In other news I got this from Concord's CityLink newsletter today. Maybe a Carvana dealership or transshipment place for their cars  but it is over 300 jobs.

""Conducted public hearings pursuant to NC General Statutes Sec. 158-7.1 and offered contracts for three year / 85 percent tax-based Economic Development Incentive Grants to: 1) Carvana LLC with a commitment to creating 304 full time jobs with an average wage of $40,560 for Project Wavy to locate at 2321 Concord Pkwy S;""  This site seems to be a greenfield site near the old Phillip Morris plant site at  US 29 and George Liles Parkway interchange. 
 

Or this could be the mother of all Carvana car towers.  

[SydneyCarton]

Since JP Morgan Chase is opening retail branches in the Carolinas, I could see it moving back office jobs to the QC and leasing 500k to 750k sf.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by SydneyCarton

[KJHburg]

from a subscriber article in the Business Journal concerning economic development prospects in the state.  Remember more happen in the 4th quarter than any other time at least the last few years.  Remember the flurry of announcements last Q4 in 2018.

""Expect more jobs and more investment in the Tar Heel State — at least if the state’s top economic development recruiter has anything to say about it.  “We’re going to have a busy rest of the year,” says N.C. Commerce Secretary Tony Copeland, one day after Xerox announced 600 jobs in Cary.  Copeland can’t be specific, he says. His department has a policy against commenting on “active projects” — a policy he cited when asked about both Mahindra Automotive North America (whose officials have said they’re considering North Carolina for an automobile plant) and Apple (which, despite picking Texas for a major project, has real estate in RTP).  But generally, he says, his team is seeing “a lot of activity all over the state.”  And he says that, as a whole, they’re most interested in one thing: North Carolina’s workforce. He says it’s “critical” that North Carolina continue to invest in its education system and infrastructure if it wants to keep attracting big job creation projects like Xerox.  “The greatest challenge, globally, is skilled workforce, and I’d say any life sciences or financial services company in the world that’s looking to expand has to look at North Carolina — just because of our workforce,” he says.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/08/16/commerce-secretary-nc-will-stay-busy-with-economic.html

Photos of land Apple owns in RTP from last week I took.  They own this land through an LLC an attorney set up for them.   They have 10 years to build on it and it has been about a year so far. 

[KJHburg]

On 8/9/2019 at 5:23 PM, KJHburg said:

In other news I got this from Concord's CityLink newsletter today. Maybe a Carvana dealership or transshipment place for their cars  but it is over 300 jobs.

""Conducted public hearings pursuant to NC General Statutes Sec. 158-7.1 and offered contracts for three year / 85 percent tax-based Economic Development Incentive Grants to: 1) Carvana LLC with a commitment to creating 304 full time jobs with an average wage of $40,560 for Project Wavy to locate at 2321 Concord Pkwy S;""  This site seems to be a greenfield site near the old Phillip Morris plant site at  US 29 and George Liles Parkway interchange. 
 

Or this could be the mother of all Carvana car towers.  

and here is a Business Journal story about this

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/08/16/carvana-proposes-35m-facility-300-plus-jobs-at.html

even though they are demoing the main factory there are several outbuildings used as warehouses on the property very close to George Liles Pkwy.  

Update:  they are looking at 100 acres and that would include 6 existing buildings.

https://www.independenttribune.com/news/carvana-bidding-to-buy-land-on-old-philip-morris-property/article_131cc5f4-c03d-11e9-9a65-53199dd8c409.html

the website shows the "unavailable properties" http://www.thegroundsatconcord.com/uploads/1/2/0/5/120511666/the_grounds_at_concord_-_full_site_overview.pdf

Edited August 17, 2019 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

On 8/9/2019 at 5:47 PM, SydneyCarton said:

Since JP Morgan Chase is opening retail branches in the Carolinas, I could see it moving back office jobs to the QC and leasing 500k to 750k sf.

 

Hmmm I see this in the building permit section of the Business Journal today JPMorganChase upfitting space at 820 Tyvola for an "IRS Production floor"  does anyone know what this is or is about?  I don't know all the banking lingo....   Sort of back office building not on the main road unlikely a branch but something else.  

[atlrvr]

I think they process tax payments and refunds for IRS and this is a regional office.  A lot of data entry jobs.  That said, I'm assuming this is a space refresh, as I believe that facility has been here for a long time.

[KJHburg]

I know this has been posted 7 different ways to Sunday but Cabarrus Co. did approve the incentives for the Carvana Distribution center on the old Phillip Morris property.  They are taking 90 acres of the 2000 acres so there is plenty of room for more job producing businesses.    The main plant site is over 500 acres and the plant is being demolished now but this will happen in some of the existing warehouses.   300 plus jobs. 

https://www.wbtv.com/2019/08/19/people-concord-excited-potentially-hundreds-new-jobs-with-carvana/

But there is a huge opportunities left on this site  

http://www.thegroundsatconcord.com/

[lancer22]

Deleted because I got yelled at

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by lancer22

[UrbanCharlotte]

30 minutes ago, lancer22 said:

Deleted because I got yelled at

 

[Missmylab4]

I saw it.

[KJHburg]

I didn't see it someone enlightened me in message Lol

[J-Rob]

Lol.  I didn't see it or get a message, so now I am quite curious. 

I am tempted to change professions just so I can be "in-the-know" on economic development.  What career is it I should be researching anyway? Commercial Real Estate Brokerage?

Edited August 22, 2019 by J-Rob

[jjwilli]

How do I get on the message alert system? Is there a blood oath we must take? Do we meet in @KJHburg Parking Hut?

[KJHburg]

39 minutes ago, jjwilli said:

How do I get on the message alert system? Is there a blood oath we must take? Do we meet in @KJHburg Parking Hut?

I have always said more BIG job announcements are done in the last quarter of the year look at NC last 4th quarter job announcements almost every day and BIG ones like Honeywell in Charlotte too.   

there will be an economic development meeting at a local Krispy Kreme in the future 

[UrbanCharlotte]

7 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

I have always said more BIG job announcements are done in the last quarter of the year look at NC last 4th quarter job announcements almost every day and BIG ones like Honeywell in Charlotte too.   

there will be an economic development meeting at a local Krispy Kreme in the future 

Read in-between the lines. New Krispy Kreme tower coming to Charlotte! 

 

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, J-Rob said:

Lol.  I didn't see it or get a message, so now I am quite curious. 

I am tempted to change professions just so I can be "in-the-know" on economic development.  What career is it I should be researching anyway? Commercial Real Estate Brokerage?

hahahaha, I work in marketing, in NYC, so clearly you don't even have to be in CRE community to know all that's going on.

[QClifer]

When Will us little guys get this news? In the next week, month?

[lancer22]

4 minutes ago, QClifer said:

When Will us little guys get this news? In the next week, month?

Bout 1.5 months

 

[SydneyCarton]

On 8/16/2019 at 4:36 PM, KJHburg said:

from a subscriber article in the Business Journal concerning economic development prospects in the state.  Remember more happen in the 4th quarter than any other time at least the last few years.  Remember the flurry of announcements last Q4 in 2018.

""Expect more jobs and more investment in the Tar Heel State — at least if the state’s top economic development recruiter has anything to say about it.  “We’re going to have a busy rest of the year,” says N.C. Commerce Secretary Tony Copeland, one day after Xerox announced 600 jobs in Cary.  Copeland can’t be specific, he says. His department has a policy against commenting on “active projects” — a policy he cited when asked about both Mahindra Automotive North America (whose officials have said they’re considering North Carolina for an automobile plant) and Apple (which, despite picking Texas for a major project, has real estate in RTP).  But generally, he says, his team is seeing “a lot of activity all over the state.”  And he says that, as a whole, they’re most interested in one thing: North Carolina’s workforce. He says it’s “critical” that North Carolina continue to invest in its education system and infrastructure if it wants to keep attracting big job creation projects like Xerox.  “The greatest challenge, globally, is skilled workforce, and I’d say any life sciences or financial services company in the world that’s looking to expand has to look at North Carolina — just because of our workforce,” he says.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/08/16/commerce-secretary-nc-will-stay-busy-with-economic.html

Photos of land Apple owns in RTP from last week I took.  They own this land through an LLC an attorney set up for them.   They have 10 years to build on it and it has been about a year so far. 

I was surprised that Apple picked Austin over the Triangle since: (i) Tim Cook is a Duke alum; (ii) the RTP has huge tech talent; and (iii) it’s much less expensive than Austin.

That being said, Apple may still invest in the Triangle.  They’re currently seeking 750,000 sf in a rather large city which shall go nameless.  Clearly, they’re looking to spread their operations around.  Since the Triangle is the state’s tech center, I’d love to see Apple anchor a new building in  Durham.

Edited August 23, 2019 by SydneyCarton

[KJHburg]

1 minute ago, SydneyCarton said:

I was surprised that Apple picked Austin over the Triangle since: (I) Tim Cook is a Duke alum; (ii) the RTP has huge tech talent; and (iii) it’s much less expensive than Austin.

Apple didn't buy that RTP land to sit on for ever they will build something on it.  Apple is consider an active economic development project with the state as they won't release any notes or information on it even if a prospect is lost by NC the public records have to be disclosed.  NC considers this an active project.  I think they went with what they knew as Apple had 6000 plus employees in Austin already.   But something will happen on this land.  

 

[joenc]

Not only is Cook a Duke Alum, The #2 at Apple (Jeff Williams) is a NC State and Duke grad, worked at IBM before Apple, not certain but possibly in the RTP area.

[SydneyCarton]

16 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Apple didn't buy that RTP land to sit on for ever they will build something on it.  Apple is consider an active economic development project with the state as they won't release any notes or information on it even if a prospect is lost by NC the public records have to be disclosed.  NC considers this an active project.  I think they went with what they knew as Apple had 6000 plus employees in Austin already.   But something will happen on this land.  

 

That’s good news.

8 minutes ago, joenc said:

Not only is Cook a Duke Alum, The #2 at Apple (Jeff Williams) is a NC State and Duke grad, worked at IBM before Apple, not certain but possibly in the RTP area.

Hopefully, they’ll come to NC then.

 

[Matthew.Brendan]

Yes because the leaders of the most profitable company in the world make their business decisions based on where they went to school. 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Matthew.Brendan
(sorry, second to Saudi oil company Aramco)