22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
JCEIDA industrial sites awarded national site selection recognition
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The properties will now be included in a national database of project-ready sites.
Two metro area rail sites have garnered national attention.
Earlier this month, the Jefferson County Economic & Industrial Development Authority (JCEIDA) received national recognition for two of its Norfolk Southern rail-served industrial development projects.
The JCEIDA's Red Rock South Site and Cowley Site were both awarded special designation as part of the Site Selectors Guild's REDI Sites program.
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The REDI program was launched last year and provides a standardized process for site readiness to ensure consistency across states and municipalities. It considers a site's development readiness, ownership, entitlements and infrastructure capacity and rates them accordingly.
The Red Rock South Site, which spans just over 102 acres, received a REDI Sites Bronze designation, and the Cowley Site, which is currently 140 acres but expandable to 190, received a REDI Sites Emerging designation.
Both sites are located at Jefferson Metropolitan Industrial Park (JeffMet) in McCalla.
As a result of these designations, both sites will now be included in a national database of project-ready locations for site selection consultants across the country to consider for future projects.
'We are thrilled to be part of the REDI Sites program and receive two prestigious designations,' said Othell Phillips, executive director of JCEIDA. 'This recognition highlights Jefferson County's readiness to attract major investments while also providing valuable feedback to further enhance our sites ... (and) is a major advantage in our economic development efforts.'
It isn't just Jefferson County pushing site development and recruitment. The state of Alabama is putting a heavy focus on getting sites ready for companies to call Alabama home.
The State Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) is approving millions of dollars to cities, counties and projects under the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) program.
'SEEDS was launched to be an important tool that supports our strategic efforts to secure high-impact economic growth projects that make a real difference in the lives of our citizens and in the future of communities around the state,' Gov. Kay Ivey said. 'Though it was launched just last year, SEEDS is already delivering major benefits by ensuring we remain competitive for these projects, and I'm confident this second round of allocations will deliver even more big wins for Alabama.'
