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An industrial park five miles south of Monroe is something state and local leaders say can have a regional impact in economic development.
Elected officials, state administrators and economic development groups gathered Tuesday on the edge of a 700-acre tract that will be marketed as Charleston Industrial Park. The area along U.S. 165 is the first certified industrial park in northeast Louisiana, that designation coming from Louisiana Economic Development.
Kurt Foreman, chairman of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, said having a shovel-ready site to present to developers will give the site a leg up on other industrial parks.
“You read about stories in other areas where a project was delayed because of issues like soil type or an archaeological site was discovered,” Foreman said. “Because of the work the partners on this project have done, that won’t happen here.”
Larry Hinson, director of LED’s certified sites program, said the park is “by far” the largest of the five certified sites in the state. The detailed process of certification, Hinson said, gives the state a product that is easily marketable when trying to attract major employers.
“Having a site like this is a game changer,” Hinson said. “It will give us an opportunity to keep businesses and industries from taking projects to Texas and Mississippi.”
Kenny Anderson, whose family farmed the site of the former Charleston Plantation for many years, said the project will benefit people throughout northeast Louisiana.
“This will start to spill over and sprinkle on a lot of people,” Anderson said. “This will bring out-of-state money to provide jobs for in-state people.”
LED worked with Anderson Farms, Entergy and the NLEP to complete the certification process. Entergy senior account executive Ron Childress presented Anderson with a check for just over $3,000 to cover the cost of a sign on the property.
Foreman said he and others involved with the project are hopeful that motorists driving the highway may soon see something dramatically different than the farm land there presently.
“We believe in the future, you’ll see your friends and neighbors driving in an out of here on their way to work.”
An industrial park five miles south of Monroe is something state and local leaders say can have a regional impact in economic development.
Elected officials, state administrators and economic development groups gathered Tuesday on the edge of a 700-acre tract that will be marketed as Charleston Industrial Park. The area along U.S. 165 is the first certified industrial park in northeast Louisiana, that designation coming from Louisiana Economic Development.
Kurt Foreman, chairman of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, said having a shovel-ready site to present to developers will give the site a leg up on other industrial parks.
“You read about stories in other areas where a project was delayed because of issues like soil type or an archaeological site was discovered,” Foreman said. “Because of the work the partners on this project have done, that won’t happen here.”
Larry Hinson, director of LED’s certified sites program, said the park is “by far” the largest of the five certified sites in the state. The detailed process of certification, Hinson said, gives the state a product that is easily marketable when trying to attract major employers.
“Having a site like this is a game changer,” Hinson said. “It will give us an opportunity to keep businesses and industries from taking projects to Texas and Mississippi.”
Kenny Anderson, whose family farmed the site of the former Charleston Plantation for many years, said the project will benefit people throughout northeast Louisiana.
“This will start to spill over and sprinkle on a lot of people,” Anderson said. “This will bring out-of-state money to provide jobs for in-state people.”
LED worked with Anderson Farms, Entergy and the NLEP to complete the certification process. Entergy senior account executive Ron Childress presented Anderson with a check for just over $3,000 to cover the cost of a sign on the property.
Foreman said he and others involved with the project are hopeful that motorists driving the highway may soon see something dramatically different than the farm land there presently.
“We believe in the future, you’ll see your friends and neighbors driving in an out of here on their way to work.”
