Gaston County Economic Development Commission

Overview2019

Gaston County EDC

Donny Hicks

Executive Director

Steve Nye

Malissa Gordon

Leslie Campbell

Derek Keener

Alisha Summey

Kristy Berkland

Marketing Director

Existing IndustryManager

ProjectAdministrator

ProjectCoordinator

ResearchCoordinator

AdministrativeAssistant

The Economic Development Commission has been working for several years to identify landfor future business parks.

After an extensive process to identify potential sites, the EDC/Gaston County have initiatedwork on four sites: Apple Creek, near the Gastonia Technology Park; Crescent-Mt. Holly Site,near Freightliner in Mt. Holly; Riverbend Farms on NC-16 at the Gaston/Lincoln County line; Cherryville Business Park on NC-150.

In the past 35 years, Gaston County has developed 2,700 acres, on which, more than 7,000,000 squarefeet of industrial, office and warehouse space has been constructed.

Recent locations, Owens Corning, CTL Packaging, REPI, LANXESS, Dixon Valve & Coupling, TOSAF USA,and Dhollandia North America have consumed most of the available sites in the county.

Shovel ready sites are one of the most critical factors in business location decisions. It is difficult tocompete for investment and jobs without these sites. Our success at the Gastonia Technology Parkdemonstrates the power of prepared sites.

• Develop business parks to create land availability and essential infrastructure to support modern business requirements.

• Target companies across a broad range of wages to be inclusive but with a focus on advanced manufacturing firms that will create higher wages, more income and intellectual capital.

• Expand and strengthen water and sewer systems to support industrial and residential growth.

• Work with Gaston College and the school system on programs for existing industry needs while preparing future graduates for the workforce.

• Provide the highest quality of customized research data and project submissions in a timely manner to companies considering Gaston County.

• Support existing industry to expand within in Gaston County, aid in grant applications on a State level, and help solve company issues.

• Sustain a business friendly permitting and approval process.

211,753(ACS)

224,144(Census Est.)

20

16

20

18

Top 5 Industries EmploymentAvg Ann Wages

Manufacturing 16,392 $52,636

Retail Trade 10,164 $27,067

Educational Services 6,176 $37,833

Health Care and Social Assistance 12,261 $47,844

Accommodation and Food Services 7,917 $16,047

0 4,000 8,000 12,000 16,000

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas…

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Management of Companies and…

Utilities

Information

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

Finance and Insurance

Transportation and Warehousing

Professional, Scientific, and Technical…

Wholesale Trade

Other Services (except Public…

Public Administration

Construction

Administrative and Support and Waste…

Educational Services

Accommodation and Food Services

Retail Trade

Health Care and Social Assistance

Manufacturing

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

Manufacturing

Textiles

2018

4.7

4.6

4.3

3.7

3.7

4.2

4.1

3.9

3.1

3.4

3.5

3.8

4.5

4.2

4.1

3.6

4.5

4.4

4.1

3.7

3.6

4.2

4.1

3.9

3.6

3.5

3.5

3.7

4.1

3.9

3.9

3.3

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.0

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

4.0

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

5.0

Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18 Jun-18 Jul-18 Aug-18 Sep-18 Oct-18 Nov-18 Dec-18 Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19

North Carolina United States Gaston County

5%

20%

3%

14%

2%2%2%6%

9%

17%

12%

2%6%

2%

29%

5%

10%

3%3%3%

5%

9%

21%

1%2%

7%

Manufacturing

Wholesale Trade

Utilities & Const.Public Admin.

Other Services

Art, Accmm. & Food Services

Healthcare and Social Services

Educational Services

Admin. & Waste Services

Prf. Services, Mgt.

Info. & FIRE

Retail Trade

Total Employment

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2017 2018

Cabarrus 78,729 80,503 83,198 85,006 87,430 101,081 103,125

Cleveland 38,892 40,227 40,747 42,030 42,232 45,303 46,124

Gaston 87,522 88,575 90,506 91,558 94,124 104,769 106,916

Iredell 68,494 69,603 71,444 72,602 74,670 83,394 85,931

Lincoln 34,874 35,360 36,128 36,497 37,514 40,917 41,759

Mecklenburg 448,596 462,901 481,963 495,568 509,197 582,170 597,263

Union 90,967 93,088 96,114 98,528 101,318 115,641 117,993

Change in Total Employment2010-2014 2013-2014 2017-2018

Δ Emp % Δ Δ Emp % Δ Δ Emp % Δ

Cabarrus 8,701 11.1% 2,424 2.9% 2,044 2.0%

Cleveland 3,340 8.6% 202 0.5% 821 1.8%

Gaston 6,602 7.5% 2,566 2.8% 2,147 2.1%

Iredell 6,176 9.0% 2,068 2.8% 2,537 3.0%

Lincoln 2,640 7.6% 1,017 2.8% 842 2.1%

Mecklenburg 60,601 13.5% 13,629 2.8% 15,093 2.6%

Union 10,351 11.4% 2,790 2.8% 2,352 2.0%

Gaston CountyAverage Annual Wages

All Industries Manufacturing

$ 40,509 $ 52,636

*Data for 2019Q1

COUNTY TIER AVG. ANNUAL WAGE - 2019

Mecklenburg 3 $ 66,709

Iredell 3 $ 47,345

Union 3 $ 43,868

Gaston 2 $ 39,852

Lincoln 3 $ 39,479

Cabarrus 3 $ 38,695

Cleveland 1 $ 38,751

$49,822NC Average Annual Wage

COUNTY TIER AVG. HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Mecklenburg 3 $ 59,268

Union 3 $ 67,194

Cabarrus 3 $ 58,970

Iredell 3 $ 53,937

Lincoln 3 $ 49,283

Gaston 2 $44,288

Cleveland 2 $ 39,134

• Expansion in Bessemer City – 2018

• 25,000 square feet

• $3,428,000 announced investment

• 13 new jobs created

• Expansion in Kings Mountain

• 110,000 square feet

• $19,768,000 announced investment

• 28 new jobs created

• New announcement in Stanley

• Purchased the DSM facility

• $9,200,000 announced investment

• 20 new jobs created

• Average annual wage - $66,000

• New announcement in Lowell

• Purchased the 109 Kenworthy Ave facility – to be expanded

• $11,200,000 announced investment

• 500 new jobs created

• Average annual wage - $53,000

• Gaston County’s largest office project

• New announcement in Bessemer City

• Purchased 45 acres in the South Ridge Business Park

• $30,000,000 announced investment

• 150 - 200 new jobs created

• Average annual wage - $46,400

• New announcement in Kings Mountain

• Purchased facility at 210 Kinder Manufacturing Access Rd

• $3,050,000 announced investment

• 7 new jobs created

• Average annual wage - $41,429

• New expansion at current plant in Gastonia

• 5,000 square feet expansion

• $500,000 announced investment

• 10-15 new jobs created

• New expansion in Gastonia at current plant

• 81,000 square feet

• $7,100,000 announced investment

• 50 new jobs created

• Sonic Automotive

• Aetna Healthcare

• Caromont Health

• 422 total acres

• Pre-graded sitesavailable

• 422 total acres

• Lot 1 & 2 available

• 270 total acres

• 162 acres available

• P&N Rail

• 8 acres available

• Medical office space

• 164 acres available

• 3 zoning jurisdictions

Phasing Map:Master Plan:

• 113.79 acres which can be subdivided.

• Strategically located just off Hwy 273 in Mt Holly.

• Adjacent to National Gypsum.

• Rail Access to be provided by CSX.

• Has the ability to accommodate one large user of 400,000 square feet in size.

• Can be configured for campus development.

• Zoned industrial by Gaston County.

• The site was recently sold by Crescent to a development firm.

• The property is ± 900 acres split 60% in Gaston County and 40% in Lincoln County.

• The plan is to develop a large mixed-use project with warehouse, retail, office

• and residential uses.

• The 300 acre warehouse parcel already has a major developer planning to build

• speculative buildings.

• The development of the site is being planned jointly between Gaston and Lincoln

• Counties. Work is underway on zoning, utilities, and transportation issues.

The EDC studied about 650 acres along the NC-150 corridor east of Cherryville.

After the study was complete, the best developable site was a single owner parcelof 93 acres.

The plan is to develop the site as an industrial park, potentially with rail service.

Current Progress: A preliminary site plan has been

completed. Soil borings are complete. Wetlands delineation is completed but

not approved by US. Army of Corps. County is negotiating for purchase of

the land.

Eastridge Mall Court Drive – Park Sterling Site

6.7 ac

• Speculative building development in Belmont.

• Development of the Osage Mill in Bessemer City for residential and commercial use.

• Preliminary discussion for speculative office development in eastern Gaston County.

• Located in the Gastonia Technology Park

• 50,000 sf - Expandable to 100,000 sf

• Zoned I-2

• All utilities in place

• Purchased by Progressive Rail

• 135,000 sf available space

• Zoned Industrial

• Rail Served

• 54,537 sf available space

• Zoned M - 1

• Located in Belmont

Purpose It is essential not only to attract new investment but also to encourage existing business to expand and reinvest in their Gaston County operations. The Gaston County Investment Grant Program (GCIGP) is intended to provide an inducement for new business to locate in Gaston County and encourage existing business to expand.

• I-85/US 321 Interchange Improvements

• I-85 Widening

• NC 279 (S New Hope Rd) Widening

• US 74 Catawba River Bridge

• US-273 Widening

• NC-7 Improvements

• US-74/NC-273 Intersection Improvements

• I-85 Widening: Statewide Mobility Tier

• I-85 /I-485 Interchange Improvements: Statewide Mobility Tier

• NC 279/US 74 Interchange Improvement: Regional Impact Tier

• Redbud Drive Connector: Regional Impact Tier

• US 74 Widening/South Fork River Bridge Replacement: Regional Impact Tier