What makes a good industrial site?

A good industrial site is a key component of the overall product economic developers are selling. When selecting, developing and marketing an industrial site or park, it is important to keep in mind what clients are going to expect. Some factors cannot be influenced to meet a client's needs. Such factors might include, but are not limited to:

  • Geography requirements based on markets, raw materials, etc.
  • Access to specific labor skill sets and/or a certain size civilian labor force
  • Proximity and access to interstate or four-lane highways, railroads and navigable waterways/ports.

Other factors can and should be proactively addressed:

  • Having a realistic understanding industries are compatible with the community based on work force, transportation infrastructure, etc.
  • Having due diligence completed, including environmental, geotechnical, cultural and historical studies
  • Selecting sites that are relatively rectangular, have surrounding land uses compatible with intended uses, and relatively level topography
  • Having ownership or control of the site
  • Providing access to utilities capable of supporting industrial loads. In particular, a client will want water and wastewater access in place, or at a minimum, an estimated cost and timeline to extend utilities to the site.

All industrial sites are not created equally, and not every site is suitable for industrial use. Developing sites with much planning, forethought and collaboration with experts and economic development leaders provides for the creation of a prepared industrial site that will offer a community a competitive edge.

Call us at 1-800-718-2726 or send us an e-mail today to start learn more about amazing Alabama.