The message coming out of the meeting a week ago on the redevelopment of the GM assembly plan is that the project is in good hands.
Thomas Hanna of Harvey Hanna and Associates did a masterful job of explaining the market conditions facing the redevelopment of the site and going so far as to offer his email address and phone number.
Hanna noted that market conditions remain good for light assembly and distribution centers. The outlook is much less upbeat when it comes to finding a larger manufacturer.
According to Hanna, the market and the first tenant will set the stage for future development of the site.
Harvey Hanna hopes that a manufacturer can come to Boxwood and signs indicate that the company will keep the site in place for a while longer to encourage that company or companies to come to the state.
Delawareans can take comfort in Harvey’s Hanna quiet success in developing a rundown Chicago Bridge & Iron site in the New Castle area that is now known as Twin Spans Business Park.
Twin Spans drew a solid collection of businesses that include homegrown plumbing equipment manufacturer Speakman.
Twin Spans, thanks to a good location and some hard work, has remained fully occupied despite changes at companies that received incentives from other states and needed to grow beyond their footprint in New Castle.
Boxwood should fare even better thanks to an excellent location that is convenient to Interstate 95 and a CSX railyard.
The key will be the flexibility of Boxwood to deal with the rapid changes we will continue to see in the economy. The strategy will require patience and the realization that the buildout will take several years.
The good news is the right developer is in place. It is now time for support from all corners of the state.
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