Issue link: http://savannah.uberflip.com/i/1336228
48 SEDA established a new Savannah Technology Workforce Incentive that reimburses moving expenses up to $2,000 for qualified technology workers that relocate to Chatham County. Effingham County continues to see an increase in logistics activity. The year started off strong with a healthy amount of new project activity and continued interest from projects opened in 2019. Four logistics companies are absorbing approximately 1.6 million square feet in the Georgia International Trade Center. The companies added over 100 new jobs to the community in 2020, and there are two pending lease agreements for first quarter 2021 that will create over 100 new jobs in Effingham County. As industrial land and buildings in Effingham County continue to fill, an additional 750 acres of industrial land was brought online for development by a private developer, and the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority (ECIDA) acquired 465 acres on Old Augusta Road. This brings the total acreage available for industrial development in Effingham County to over 8,500 acres. The ECIDA also sold approximately 90 acres to Panattoni Development Company at the Savannah Portside International Park off of I-16, and they have begun construction of a 500,000 square foot building (expandable to 1.1 million), which is one of multiple warehouse spaces planned for this property. Chesterfield also plans to begin construction on an additional 660,000 square feet of speculative warehouse space at Georgia International Trade Center in 2021. This would bring the total available (constructed) square footage in Effingham County to over 1 million square feet by the end of 2021. In Bryan County, Medline industries, a manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies and equipment, is building a 1.2 million square foot distribution center in Belfast Commerce Park. The project represents an investment of nearly $70 million and will create 150 jobs with capacity for more than 600 workers as the company grows. Federal Express Ground will lease a 415,000 square foot portion of Medline's facility, which will allow FedEx to double its capacity in the Savannah market. The new FedEx facility is expected to employ hundreds of people. On the north end of the county, construction began on a 700,000 SF warehouse earlier this year. The developer of this facility is St. Louis-based CRG, and the building is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year. In Liberty County, Home Meridian International, a division of Hooker Furniture will construct a new distribution facility of 800,000 square feet in Tradeport East Business Center. The $23.5 million project will create 50 jobs. Long-term prospects for logistics and distribution in the region are exceptionally strong. With the Georgia Ports Authority plan to double capacity, the resultant demand for distribution space will continue to grow, particularly west along the I-16 corridor and south along I-95. The regional market currently has nationwide recognition as the hottest logistics and distribution market in the country. It is fully expected to mature into one of the most important distribution networks in the country.