Editor’s Note: “The Economic Development Side” originally appears in the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce’s weekly member e-newsletter. It is written by Rhonda Dishner, the Economic Development Alliance’s executive assistant.
Last week’s column provided details about a new company that has purchased an available building in Pine Bluff. That was very positive news because of the jobs, the capital investment and the fact that an empty, former manufacturing building will now house a new distribution company here.
Each such announcement, though, makes it even more important for other vacant industrial properties in the community to remain usable. Any one of them has the potential to be the subject of the next announcement, provided they remain in good repair.
There is only a limited supply of “tip-top” properties available in this area. There are more deemed satisfactory, and quite a few could be made suitable, or acceptable, with some rehabilitation. But a company looking at a community’s existing buildings is most likely on a shortened timeframe until start of operations and production. In that case, it’s easily understood that management would prefer spending capital resources for equipment and raw materials over replacing broken windows and rewiring an entire facility.
Occasionally, it’s actually a building’s owner who’s seeking potential uses for his property. This was brought home to staff members of the Economic Development Alliance last week during an introductory phone conversation with an out-of-state businessman who had acquired a “bundle” of buildings around the country that included one in Pine Bluff. Unbeknownst to anyone here, he took a look at that property recently and found it in very poor condition. On a brighter note, however, he seems genuinely interested in ideas on how to restore the property’s usefulness.
It’s difficult to get the attention of consultants or potential buyers if they are searching for a certain size property and the community has nothing to offer in at least the “satisfactory” category. With all the potential projects that may be considering Jefferson County, the coming months could bring another need for an inventory of good industrial and warehousing buildings. All the more reason to keep watchful, protective eyes on empty buildings here. They could be the future homes of other new businesses. And that also gives “paint up, fix up” a whole new significance.