3 premier industrial properties in Nash County are ready for business

Nash County knows how to put their wide-open space to good use. Located on Interstate 95 and U.S. Highway 264 and 64 (future I-87), the 542 square miles of the county are largely dominated by rural land, and the county is using that space to construct three new, shovel ready industrial sites.

With big names like Pfizer, Cummins, and Honeywell Aerospace already having established facilities in the county and an abundant workforce, county leaders are sending a signal to other companies that Nash County is open and ready for business.

Located on the west end of Nash County, just 25 minutes from Downtown Raleigh and 45 minutes from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the Middlesex Corporate Centre is perfectly located between the Research Triangle and I-95. This county-owned park is not only the newest in the county, but also full of potential for future tenants seeking a close proximity to the Research Triangle.

"It's zoned for light industry, which means it could be attractive for advanced manufacturing pharmaceuticals, logistics, distribution, and back office uses," said Andy Hagy, director of economic development at Nash County. "Geographically and logistically, it's the ideal location."

Currently, the county is completing water and sewer access throughout the entire park, and its 320 acres also include an expansive shell building.

"We have already constructed one 62,500 square-foot shell building that is expandable to 100,000 square feet. As we finish up street paving at the end of the year, we hope to have someone lined up for the shell building, then we would immediately build another shell building," said Robbie Davis, chairman of the Nash County Board of Commissioners. "We've had a lot of success at our other industrial parks, and we feel this will be a great site for an industry that needs access to the airport and the Research Triangle."

Depending on what size lots potential clients will take, Davis estimates there are around 12 lots that could house buildings.

Purchased six years ago, the county-owned Highway 97 Industrial Site is adjacent to I-95 and comes fully equipped with utilities like water, sewer, gas, and electric. While the Middlesex Corporate Center is suited for light industry, this site is a bit more flexible.

"It'd be an excellent location for distribution, since it sits right out on the side of 95," said Davis. "It is about 140 acres total, and it lays out well to have four to five industrial sites."

Aside from these four to five industrial sites, the county has also put together conceptual site plans for lots of 400,000 square feet that expand to 800,000 square feet, as well as one for a 1 million square foot building.

With ample room for growth and a convenient location, it's the perfect site for navigating the entire East Coast and beyond.

"It's on 95, but also closer to sea ports like the one at Wilmington, whereas the site at Whitaker is more on the north end. This site is also located five minutes from the regional airport, which is located in Nash County, as well as 15 minutes from the new CSX intermodal facility," said Hagy. "It's all interstate connected, so it's a perfect site for distribution logistics, as well as advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals — but being just seconds from 95, it's really just a perfect distribution location."

Although the Whitaker site is already home to a cluster of businesses — largely those in the food process industry, including The Cheesecake Factory, Poppies International and Nutkao — there are still county-owned lots available. For businesses looking to build on a property that already boasts an established investment base, Whitaker is the ideal option. The 38-acre Whitaker B&I Center South Tract is designed for 100,000 to 500,000 square feet.

"WBIC Phase II is two lots which is designed for 45,000 square foot and 85,000 square foot buildings," said Hagy.

The WBIC is minutes off I-95 and minutes from the new CSX intermodal rail facility, making it convenient for cold storage and distribution. While Whitaker is more dominated by food industries, it also holds a major cold storage distribution center for McLane, one of the largest grocery supply chain service companies.

With each property's potential, both Davis and Hagy are signaling Nash County is open for business — and ready to assist in any way possible.

"There are a lot of groundbreaking and news releases for new business locations, and most think that's it. But that's just the beginning. We work with each new business throughout the whole process of getting them up and running, with the doors open. We then stay in touch to address any of their needs either through local or state services," said Hagy. "Our local industry is important to Nash County and we work to make sure that they always have what they need to grow and prosper, create new jobs and capital investment. Nash County is a business friendly location which offers a low cost of doing business, and a quality of life hard to meet. Maybe the best way to sum everything up is that Nash County is open for business."