Connecting water and sewer infrastructure creates 1500 shovel ready acres and 274,000sf of move-in ready industrial space on TexAmericas Center’s East Campus.
Texarkana, AR-TX, 1BMay 28, 2019– Over the past two years TexAmericas Center (TAC) received considerable funding to improve access to infrastructure on its property from two separate sources: Economic Development Administration (EDA) and Texas Capital Fund (TCF).
The EDA Grant supported infrastructure improvements such as: sanitary sewer improvements on the eastern campus, including installing over 10,000 feet of 18” sewer line, and pavement and accessibility improvements on the central campus. The access projects included handicapped accessibility ramps at a 12,000 square feet office building and a reconstructed parking lot. Totaling $1,500,000, the EDA Grant funded the latest infrastructure investment by TAC to on its East and Central Campuses. Investments to roads, utilities and spec buildings on the East Campus bring total project costs to over $8,200,000. The improvements occurred on and near Oak Street, Cypress Street and Elm Circle on TAC’s East Campus and Texas Blvd on its Central Campus. Both enhancements spurred additional private investment and job creation.
“TexAmericas Center is focused on all aspects of job creation and that includes investment in infrastructure. We have successfully partnered with the Ark-Tex Council of Governments to secure funds through the US Economic Development Administration and the Texas Department of Agriculture to increase the availability of industrial quality infrastructure on our footprint. As we are approaching the final stages of these construction projects, we are ensuring more of our property is ready for capital investment and job creation. Creating 12,000 quality jobs is a focus and a goal of TexAmericas Center and these infrastructure improvements move us one step closer to fulfilling that goal.”, said TexAmericas Center’s CEO Scott Norton.
The TCF Grant allowed TAC to install approximately 4,485 feet of 12” water line, 9 fire hydrants, 4,400 feet of 8” sewer main, 13 manholes, service connections, road improvements and appurtenances located on the 9000-acre east campus. The improvements occurred on and near Oak Street, Ellis Street, Elm Circle and Camp Street. With over $750,000 contributed from the TCF Grant this project was able to leverage ExpalUSA’s $24,000,000 investment which is creating 80 jobs in the Texarkana area.
“Having the infrastructure that businesses need, at the capacity they require and having it available now is critical to creating jobs,” said Jeff Whitten Vice President of Operations. “TexAmericas Center places a high value on being job ready. In Addition, we focus on timeliness for building permits and having move-in ready buildings.”
Due to the grants, the improvements greatly enhance the marketability of the TAC East Campus to prospective employers. These investments mean that all 1500 acres adjacent to Oak Street on the East Campus are now served by industrial capacity water, sewer, gas, electricity, fiber, rail and roads. The amount of move-in ready building space on the East Campus is now set to grow. The connection of utilities to the former Area D warehouse complex will add 274,000 square feet of move-in ready space to its inventory of buildings. TAC is converting the buildings in to job producing structures. These spec buildings are being built-out with office space, fire suppression, and 3-phase electricity that complement their existing docks and rail service. TexAmericas Center will make additional improvements as requested by tenants allowing companies to become operational faster.
“There really isn’t much available building space in the Texarkana area. This investment will bring some much-needed industrial product on to the market,” said Eric Voyles Executive Vice President & Chief Economic Development Office. “At TexAmericas Center we have had success but now our inventory is depleted. We are at 94% occupancy for our move-in ready space. These investment increases our ability to create more jobs for the Texarkana region.”
About TexAmericas Center
Located in the Texarkana metropolitan area, TexAmericas Center owns and operates one of the largest mixed use industrial parks in the United States. With roughly 12,000 development ready acres of land and about 3 million square feet of commercial and industrial product, TexAmericas Center services the four states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas) markets. Texas is the #1 state for business in the United States of America because of its regulatory environment, tax policies, and workforce quality along with exceptional educational resources, infrastructure, and quality of living. Founded in 1997, TexAmericas Center has the operating capabilities of a municipality but functions more like a traditional real estate development company, offering customized real estate solutions. In addition to controlling our own zoning and permitting processes and sustaining the life cycle of public infrastructure on the complex, TAC has the capability to lease, build-to-suit, or facilitate Greenfield owner-constructed projects in a timely and efficient manner. At TAC, we streamline leasing and manage government development processes all through a single point of contact. Our customers benefit from faster market entry by resolving zoning, permitting, inspection, and state and local incentive programs solely through our organization. Additionally, the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) designated a 101 acre site on TexAmericas Center’s central campus as the first S.T.A.R. Site in Texas (Sites That Are Ready for construction to begin), advancing speed to market for our customers. Tenants of TexAmericas Center tend to be private business owners and corporations seeking flexible and cost effective space solutions.
If you would like more information about this topic or TexAmericas Center, please contact Eric Voyles at 903.223.9841 or via email
