Economic Development - Expansions and Relocations

[CLT2014]

"Welcome to Catawba County! We rank #1 in quality of life for computers. Our luxury server farm communities offer you guard-gated entrances, access to beautiful fresh water, privacy from neighbors, and a small team of human beings that cater to you 24/7 with onsite mechanical care." 

[Matthew.Brendan]

5 hours ago, kermit said:

Greenpeace protests here (including in Uptown) are what led Apple to do its very large alternative energy investments

Ehhh not really. Apple is a "true believer" in renewable energy and has undertaken its efforts simply because it's the right thing to do, not because of some Greenpeace activists.

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/04/apple-now-globally-powered-by-100-percent-renewable-energy/

[KJHburg]

11 hours ago, J-Rob said:

Does anyone know why these data centers from non-related companies would cluster in this region? The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the region is at lower risk to climate change impacts than areas susceptible to frequent hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms or wildfires? Its a fairly moderate climate protected to the west by the mountains.  I am just throwing out the only thing I could think of, but I would be interested to hear from someone more informed.

 

what you said above and lower electric costs than 40 plus states.  You can have renewables but you need a reliable backup source too.  @kermit answered it well I later read down the line. 

In terms of Apple here is what folks had to say about them in Maiden and Catawba County ( Google may not be a good neighbor but Apple seems to be)

from a Biz Journal article today

""Millar said Wednesday that Apple has met every single commitment in the region, and is well on its way when it comes to realizing its 2021 announcement. In total, Millar estimates Apple has already created 400 jobs in the region.

Its presence has been a boost to town coffers. Todd Herms, town manager of Maiden, has said taxes have actually been reduced twice since Apple’s arrival. The town has been able to add free WiFi, keep its water-sewer rates low, even kids sports at a reasonable price, all thanks to Apple’s tax infusion, he said. Apple topped Catawba County’s taxpayer list in 2020, with an assessed valuation of $1.2 billion. For comparison, the second highest assessed company was Duke Energy Carolinas at less than $761.4 million.

If all goes as smoothly this time, Millar could see Microsoft having a similar trajectory in western North Carolina – continued investments over the next few years, perhaps even decades. ""

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2022/11/10/microsoft-apple-data-centers-north-carolina.html

Edited November 11, 2022 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

NC's economic tier county by county rankings.  Meck and all the close in counties around Charlotte are Tier 3 which receive less incentives but still generous ones and Tier 1 are the more distressed counties that would receive higher incentives for new industry. 

North Carolina releases revised county economic distress rankings | WUNC

and this unemployment rises in 99 of the 100 counties in the state.  Notice the highest metro averages and check out the distressed county map above.

Unemployment increases in all NC metro areas, 99 of 100 counties | WRAL TechWire

Edited December 2, 2022 by KJHburg

[carolinaboy]

14 hours ago, KJHburg said:

NC's economic tier county by county rankings.  Meck and all the close in counties around Charlotte are Tier 3 which receive less incentives but still generous ones and Tier 1 are the more distressed counties that would receive higher incentives for new industry. 

North Carolina releases revised county economic distress rankings | WUNC

and this unemployment rises in 99 of the 100 counties in the state.  Notice the highest metro averages and check out the distressed county map above.

Unemployment increases in all NC metro areas, 99 of 100 counties | WRAL TechWire

Interesting. The county I may or may not have a personal interest in is the least distressed county, one spot above Wake. (in the economic distress rankings)

Edited December 2, 2022 by carolinaboy
additional information

[KJHburg]

This is the biggest economic development announcement in the last few months here in Charlotte Mecklenburg so I will post here as well see @rancenc post in the University thread.

from the Biz Journal and this is taking a 400,000 sq ft empty building off the market.

""Eighteen months ago, executives at Charlotte-based chemical manufacturing company Albemarle Corp. (NYSE: ALB) began looking for a home for a proposed advanced lithium technology center. Fueled by the soaring popularity of electric vehicles, as well as recent expansions by car- and battery-makers in the Southeast, they considered multiple sites in the region.

Albemarle disclosed plans today to put the advanced lithium technology center in its backyard. Or, rather, University City, where the company plans to spend $180 million to $200 million on equipment and other improvements at an updated but empty 400,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by IBM and Flexential.

Merfeld added that the new center will house research on novel materials, advance process development, and advanced lithium products. Among the 200 new jobs created will be 75 PhD positions; average annual pay for the jobs will be $94,220. Mecklenburg County’s average annual wage is $75,907.

The center is expected to open in 2025, Merfeld said. Local and state government awarded incentives totaling $13 million for the project."""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2022/12/13/albemarle-expands-lithium-research-hub-university.html

count this as 100% sold and soon to be occupied.,

https://www.thecommonsatthepark.com/

Putting the Research back into the University Research  Park! 

Edited December 13, 2022 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

here is small company moving lock stock and barrel out of California to Catawba County.  Their manufacturing, their distribution and headquarters.

https://charlotteregion.com/news/2022/12/08/economic-development-news/food-manufacturer-relocates-headquarters-to-catawba-county/

https://pastapiccinini.com/

[KJHburg]

Both NC and SC broke records in economic development projects announced last year.  Strong growth in both Carolinas equals a stronger Charlotte. 

https://charlotteregion.com/news/2023/01/11/economic-development-news/north-and-south-carolina-boast-record-breaking-years-for-new-jobs-investment/

Also efforts building with the new Medical school and new Eli Lilly plant in Concord to build a life sciences cluster here in the Charlotte region.  NC is already a leader in this field mainly in the Triangle and points east.

https://charlotteregion.com/news/2023/01/11/investor-news/eli-lilly-atrium-health-s-med-schools-boost-efforts-to-find-charlotte-region-s-place-in-life-sciences/

[rancenc]

Accolades to North Carolina on the largest and most successful Main Street programs in the country.  Important economic driver, especially in the smaller municipalities throughout the state.

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/613125823/the-largest-statewide-downtown-revitalization-conference-in-the-nation-will-meet-in-person-in-2023

[KJHburg]

Here is how the Charlotte metro jobs have been and it is good news.  Notice who is right around us in growth both Nashville and Tampa (I told you to watch Tampa the most compelling FL metro compared to Charlotte)   Our employment growth is much higher than the nation as a whole. 

https://charlotteregion.com/blog/2023/01/25/clt-alliance-blog/charlotte-region-s-strong-employment-growth-outpacing-the-nation/

[15895]

2 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Here is how the Charlotte metro jobs have been and it is good news.  Notice who is right around us in growth both Nashville and Tampa (I told you to watch Tampa the most compelling FL metro compared to Charlotte)   Our employment growth is much higher than the nation as a whole. 

https://charlotteregion.com/blog/2023/01/25/clt-alliance-blog/charlotte-region-s-strong-employment-growth-outpacing-the-nation/

Poor Raleigh got snubbed in that Charlotte Regional Alliance blog  (but Jacksonville didn’t? Blasphemy) 

Edited January 26, 2023 by AirNostrumMAD

[KJHburg]

37 minutes ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

Poor Raleigh got snubbed in that Charlotte Regional Alliance blog  (but Jacksonville didn’t? Blasphemy) 

Not sure why they would not have included Raleigh unless it grew much faster which it probably did and they are competition for some projects looking at NC.  

[KJHburg]

Here is the biggest economic development project announced in 2022 in this region  and they are making fast progress on it.  The new $1 Billion Eli Lilly plant in Concord.  Hard to get a photo of how massive the site is (drone anyone?)  It is a multi building 800,000 sq ft campus over 5 buildings. 

https://www.cabarrusedc.com/lilly-bringing-1-billion-investment-to-cabarrus/

But here is a photo I snapped from Hwy 29 today

[rancenc]

From WFAE on the continuing surge of development in the Charlotte area!

https://www.wfae.org/business/2023-02-02/surge-of-development-plans-in-charlotte-ahead-of-udo-taking-effect

[KJHburg]

Yes this is in Rock Hill but as  you can see from this article this is a big HQ and manufacturing win for the Charlotte region

https://www.commercialsearch.com/news/pallidus-invests-443m-in-hq-plant-relocation/

[kayman]

52 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Yes this is in Rock Hill but as  you can see from this article this is a big HQ and manufacturing win for the Charlotte region

https://www.commercialsearch.com/news/pallidus-invests-443m-in-hq-plant-relocation/

Yeah it is. Rock Hill wouldn't even be a viable choice nor factor if it wasn't apart of Metro Charlotte. 

[KJHburg]

""Rock Hill and York County landed a major manufacturing win this week with hopes of more to come. Yesterday, New York-based semiconductor manufacturer Pallidus Inc. announced it would invest $443 million to relocate its headquarters and manufacturing operations to Rock Hill. The project is expected to create 405 jobs, giving validation to York County economic development leaders that have largely focused their industrial efforts on high-end manufacturing projects.

David Swenson, director of York County Economic Development, said the Pallidus project fits exactly what he has been trying to recruit in recent years.

"It definitely is a rewarding feel when the time and effort that we have put into recruiting higher-end, technology-focused manufacturing operations comes to fruition," Swenson said. "There are spinoffs that can be both on the customer side, we hope, for Pallidus to see customers grow for them in our Carolinas market, let alone suppliers they may be able to pick up as they ramp up production here."

Pallidus is taking around 300,000 square feet at 1786 and 1800 Overview Drive near Waterford Golf Club in Rock Hill. The buildings there are owned by an entity affiliated with Calare Properties, which acquired them last year. The operations are expected to be online in the third quarter.

Swenson said the building availability, labor access and advantages of the Charlotte market were attractive factors for Pallidus. The utilities needed for high-tech manufacturing uses are significant, and meeting those requirements was key for landing the Pallidus project. Focusing on those factors with city and county leadership can lead to more wins in that area, Swenson said.""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/02/08/york-county-pallidus-semiconductor-high-tech-wins.html

While I wish all new jobs for the region come to NC it is  important our south of the border neighbors grow too.   What I don't like is big firms in NC crossing over to SC to get job incentives and that kind of thing but that has really slowed down in the last few years.  LPL Financial and Lash Group to name the last big two companies to jump the stateline and that was years ago.  I am happy this is coming to the region and maybe open up more semiconductor manufacturing in this area.  I will say it again we need our our mega sites and lots of smaller 10-300 acres sites ready for new manufacturing.   From what the company said above highlighted in bold they would have consider other areas in the region IF they have the right buildings available.  

[SydneyCarton]

That’s a good move. Palladis was based in Albany, NY which is in the middle of nothing and is very heavily taxed. The Charlotte metro beats Albany hands down.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Matthew.Brendan]

8 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

That’s a good move. Palladis was based in Albany, NY which is in the middle of nothing and is very heavily taxed. The Charlotte metro beats Albany hands down.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Upstate New York has been a center of high-tech industry for decades in both R&D and Manufacturing.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2021/04/26/globalfoundries-joins-exodus-moves-hq-to-new-york.html

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-grand-opening-wolfspeeds-1-billon-state-art-silicon-carbide

https://sunypoly.edu/research/albany-nanotech-complex.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/04/micron-chip-factory-new-york/

 

[quote]Micron Technology Inc., the Idaho-based memory giant, announced Tuesday it will invest up to $100 billion over the next two decades to build a massive complex of chip facilities in the Syracuse suburbs. It’s one of the largest-ever private investments in New York and one that’s expected provide a huge boost to the state’s goal of leading in domestic chip manufacturing.

“Micron’s $100 billion investment in New York marks the start of something transformative in scale and possibility for our state’s economic future,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the first phase of the project will include a $20 billion investment and ultimately could add 9,000 direct jobs statewide over the next 20-plus years. When complete, he said that the complex would include the nation’s largest clean room space at approximately 2.4 million square feet — the size of nearly 40 football fields.[/quote]

[DonkeyKong]

2 hours ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

Upstate New York has been a center of high-tech industry for decades in both R&D and Manufacturing.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2021/04/26/globalfoundries-joins-exodus-moves-hq-to-new-york.html

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-grand-opening-wolfspeeds-1-billon-state-art-silicon-carbide

https://sunypoly.edu/research/albany-nanotech-complex.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/04/micron-chip-factory-new-york/

 

[quote]Micron Technology Inc., the Idaho-based memory giant, announced Tuesday it will invest up to $100 billion over the next two decades to build a massive complex of chip facilities in the Syracuse suburbs. It’s one of the largest-ever private investments in New York and one that’s expected provide a huge boost to the state’s goal of leading in domestic chip manufacturing.

“Micron’s $100 billion investment in New York marks the start of something transformative in scale and possibility for our state’s economic future,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the first phase of the project will include a $20 billion investment and ultimately could add 9,000 direct jobs statewide over the next 20-plus years. When complete, he said that the complex would include the nation’s largest clean room space at approximately 2.4 million square feet — the size of nearly 40 football fields.[/quote]

I'm originally from the area and this is a relatively new industry to upstate NY.  NY has provided massive state and local subsidies to attract  chip and support manufacturing to the state. Regardless it nice to see upstate getting new investment after decades of losses and decline.

[Jakeupps]

@DonkeyKong how long ago was that?  I moved south from Schenectady around 2014 and GlobalFoundries (Malta) and the Nanotech campus (U Albany) were already up and running with plans to expand.  I can't disagree with the exodus and that region getting any wins like this is huge.  But with solid pockets of innovative companies like Regeneron, AngioDynamics, Plug Power, the Hudson dredging project and Albany port expansion completed, along with those mentioned above, the turn around has been slowly coming online to lead to this point.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Jakeupps
Spelling

[DonkeyKong]

2 hours ago, Jakeupps said:

@DonkeyKong how long ago was that?  I moved south from Schenectady around 2014 and GlobalFoundries (Malta) and the Nanotech campus (U Albany) were already up and running with plans to expand.  I can't disagree with the exodus and that region getting any wins like this is huge.  But with solid pockets of innovative companies like Regeneron, AngioDynamics, Plug Power, the Hudson dredging project and Albany port expansion completed, along with those mentioned above, the turn around has been slowly coming online to lead to this point.

I'm from a little further West... Syracuse/Utica area.  I've been in Charlotte 20+ years and still  have family in the area so i keep tabs on the goings on in the area.  I believe the Global Foundries project was originally supposed to be located at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, but ended up going to Malta.  So that's why i say its a relatively new industry to the area (my area of the state).  

[Reverie39]

21 hours ago, kayman said:

Yeah it is. Rock Hill wouldn't even be a viable choice nor factor if it wasn't apart of Metro Charlotte. 

I'm confused as to why some are confused by your comment. Do people think Rock Hill could attract a massive relocation like this if it wasn't a Charlotte suburb? Lol

[KJHburg]

This new Eli Lilly plant in Concord is very much on the fast track.  Look at all the activity out there for their new multi building campus.  Today.  

Image from Biz Journal article at the groundbreaking.

$1 Billion investment 600 jobs 800,000 sq ft. 

 

 

[RANYC]

59 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

This new Eli Lilly plant in Concord is very much on the fast track.  Look at all the activity out there for their new multi building campus.  Today.  

Image from Biz Journal article at the groundbreaking.

$1 Billion investment 600 jobs 800,000 sq ft. 

 

 

By the way, when exiting the airport and descending the escalator to baggage claim & ground transportation, you happen upon a large column covered in Eli Lilly Branding with a QR Code for accessing available job opportunities.  Love this approach and the statement it makes about Charlotte’s growth and possibilities.