Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1 <br /> 2 <br /> 3 Business Recruitment Activity <br /> 4 • In 2015 the Orange County Economic Development office received over 65 separate <br /> 5 requests (by the State of North Carolina's Economic Development Partnership agency, <br /> 6 Duke Energy, commercial developers, brokers, etc.) seeking information on available <br /> 7 sites and buildings in the County. This activity is a 2x increase over 2014, a 3x increase <br /> 8 over 2013, and a 4x increase over 2012. <br /> 9 • For 2015 and into 2016 thus far, Hillsborough was represented with twenty one (21) <br /> 10 separate "green field" site data submissions to inquirers, and regular site locations <br /> 11 provided by the County included Waterstone (tracts 8 & 9), Oakdale Village, Tryon <br /> 12 Business Center at Meadowmont, N.C. 57 & N.C. 86 site, 2701 Old N.C. 86, Cardinal <br /> 13 Drive (located behind Holiday Inn Express), Owls Wood (N.C. 86 & U.S. 70 <br /> 14 intersection), and sites adjacent to 1-40 & Old N.C. 86 south. <br /> 15 • Over the same 13 month period, information on available buildings in Hillsborough were <br /> 16 submitted to investment prospects eighteen (18) times. Those locations included the <br /> 17 24,000 square foot warehouse on Elizabeth Brady Road, the 89,000 square foot <br /> 18 warehouse on Eno Street (former warehouse location for"A Southern Season"), and <br /> 19 locations at Alex Gold's Eno River Development. <br /> 20 • At least three (3) prospective hotel investors have scouted sites in Hillsborough with the <br /> 21 active site selection assistance of Orange County Economic Development, Town staff <br /> 22 and realtors. <br /> 23 • Within the next several weeks, the confidential firm holding a purchase option on the <br /> 24 89,000 square foot Eno Street warehouse is expected to make an announcement with <br /> 25 its plans. Orange County Economic Development has assisted this firm for two (2) years <br /> 26 to find a suitable office and warehouse location, and introduced the firm to this location a <br /> 27 year ago. <br /> 28 • Utility line extension (sewer) to sites south of 1-40 and Old N.C. 86 are needed in order <br /> 29 to best market that property to high-caliber commercial, headquarters, research & <br /> 30 development, light clean manufacturing, and retail investment prospects seeking <br /> 31 locations with interstate exposure, highway access and close proximity to Hillsborough's <br /> 32 new UNC Health Care facility. <br /> 33 <br /> 34 Agriculture <br /> 35 • The Piedmont Food Agriculture Processing Center (PFAP) has recently assumed new <br /> 36 local management, led by Eric Hallman, with additional support being provided by the <br /> 37 Orange County Manager's Office, Orange County Economic Development's agriculture <br /> 38 staff specialist (Mike Ortosky) and several County Commissioners. Internal discussions <br /> 39 are ongoing related to ways to assist and retain PFAP tenants as they begin to transition <br /> 40 as they grow. <br /> 41 • Several Hillsborough and/or PFAP-based food processing firms, and neighboring farms <br /> 42 are recipients of the County's Article 46-funded Small Business Loan and Grant <br /> 43 programs. <br /> 44 <br /> 45 Arts <br /> 46 • The Orange County Arts Commission made five (5) arts grants in the spring of 2015 <br /> 47 totaling $9,300 to five (5) Hillsborough arts grant nonprofits. <br /> 48 • In addition, four (4) arts grants totaling $3,825 in Orange County funds were awarded in <br /> 49 the fall of 2015. <br /> 50 <br />