The Development Authority of Bryan County Thursday voted to sell approximately 44 acres in Interstate Centre II in Black Creek to NorthPoint Development, a privately held development firm based in Kansas City, MO.
NorthPoint has plans to develop a 419,000-square-foot Class A industrial building that will be expandable up to 650,000 square feet for a confidential client that would create 50 jobs in five years.
“The DABC is very excited NorthPoint has chosen Interstate Centre II,” said Chairman Derrick Smith. “NorthPoint has developed over 30 million square feet of Class A industrial projects in almost six years in 11 states, and we are glad they selected Bryan County as the first location in Georgia where they want to invest and partner with us to create new jobs in the community.”
According to NorthPoint’s website, their largest client is General Motors. The company has developed numerous supplier parks to support the auto manufacturer’s operations. NorthPoint’s customer list also includes Amazon, Wal-Mart, Grainger, United Parcel Service, New Balance Shoes, Saks Fifth Avenue, Post Cereal, Kubota Tractor and General Electric.
Anna Chafin, executive director of the DABC, said the fact that Bryan County has a Freeport Exemption played a part in NorthPoint's decision. The measure, passed by a 67-34 margin by voters last fall, means e-commerce fulfillment centers that locate in the county — Amazon, for example — will not pay local inventory tax on items held at such centers for 12 months or less as long as the location is used to pack, ship, store or process tangible personal property sold my electronic means and does not allow customers to purchase or receive goods on-site.
NorthPoint’s website says the company has also raised $2.2 billion in capital since 2011 and has developed and managed 2,000 multi-family dwelling units.
“NorthPoint Development is pleased to have our first Georgia project take place in Bryan County” said Brent Miles, vice president of economic development for NorthPoint. “We have been extremely impressed with the Development Authority of Bryan County from our first contact with their organization. They are true believers in (the saying) capital goes where capital is welcomed. Having developed over 30 million square feet across the United States, Bryan County ranks at the very top of professionalism, speed and persistence to get the transaction complete.”
Chafin said the board also approved spending up to $50,000 to contract with Thomas & Hutton to design the road, water and sewer extensions to serve the NorthPoint development, as well as future developments in Interstate Centre II.