CSX lists S. Alabama site for fast-track development

CSX has designated the South Alabama Mega Site in Bay Minette, Ala., as a CSX Select Site.

Select Sites are development-ready properties along the CSX network where land use criteria and due-diligence have been addressed. The properties are pre-positioned to meet manufacturers’ needs, significantly reducing the time required to construct facilities and ultimately bring products to market.

“This site is strategically located between Mobile and Pensacola, Fla., on CSX’s main line, connecting the site to major consumer markets from the Gulf to the Midwest, and even international markets through the Port of Mobile,” said Clark Robertson, Vice President of Business Development and E Business for CSX. “Earning Select Site status means this site will be pivotal in the region’s growth, as companies seize the opportunity to swiftly set up operations and leverage the efficiency of freight rail.”

The South Alabama Mega Site sits at the corner of Highway 287 and Interstate 65, with a total 3,009 acres in fast-growing Baldwin County. CSX said the region has a workforce of more than 500,000, and that the county is on track to become the fourth-largest employment center in the state by 2040.

The publicly-owned property also has been certified by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama’s Advantage Site program and is the third site in the state to be designated a CSX Select Site. CSX introduced the Select Site program in 2012, and partners with Austin Consulting to screen candidate sites and assist communities with the application and certification process.

To receive CSX Select Site designation, the location must meet a rigorous list of criteria, including infrastructure and utility availability, environmental reviews, appropriate zoning and entitlement, rail serviceability, proximity to highways or interstates, and other attributes. Once certified, the sites are featured on www.csxselectsites.com, a web portal that includes additional information, promotional materials and direct marketing to site selection professionals.