ODEDC Seeks Alabama SEEDS Act Grant to Develop Industrial Site

Understanding the marketability of their 253-acre Hanchey Field Road industrial site, the Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation (ODEDC) recently made application for funding through the Alabama SEEDS Act.

Over the years, the Hanchey Field Road site received little attention, and ODEDC President Holle Smith believes it’s time for that to change. She says, “The site has not seen a lot of traction, as very little work has been done to develop or assess it.

However, after some recent positive attention from the Alabama Forestry Commission, the City of Daleville has begun to see the value of investing in this property.” 

The site meets many requirements of an Alabama Advantage Site already. Smith thinks that with the assessments for which SEEDS Act funding is being sought, the Hanchey Field Road site can be brought to its marketable potential and set a path toward Advantage Site certification. 

The City of Daleville has plans to clear a portion of the property and extend water lines to make the site more visible and shovel-ready.  If granted, the SEEDS Act funds will be used to provide an Environmental Assessment to include a Geotechnical Survey, a Protected Species Assessment, a Cultural Resource and Historical Identification survey, and a Wetlands Delineation through Poly, Inc. 

“These assessments will help determine and justify further investment and development of this property,” Smith says. The City of Daleville approved the match requirement for SEEDS Act funding, allocating $10,317 to the project should the request for $30,950 be approved. When this funding is granted, the City of Daleville will move forward with site assessment and further development. 

“This grant opportunity allows us to help attract industry to a rural area of the state that has a workforce of 94,915, which is enhanced by retired soldiers and military families,” Smith says. “The “Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation will further the marketing practices of the site and work toward Advantage Site Certification, as well as our ultimate goal of attracting an industry with high investment and job creation.”

The State Industrial Development Authority of Alabama is currently in the application review process and is expected to award the grant funds by the first part of March.