Economic development leaders in Kaufman County are mulling over plans on how to develop over 100 acres recently purchased from the Trinity Valley Community College Foundation.
In total, the Kaufman Economic Development Corporation (KEDC) paid $2.75 million for approximately 105 acres of land located along U.S. Highway 175 southeast of the City of Kaufman, according to KEDC executive director Stewart McGregor.
While KEDC is undecided on how to use the land, the development agency said it hopes to “recruit high-quality jobs” in multiple industries such as food and beverage processing, manufacturing, metal fabrication, data processing and storage, and others.
According to KEDC, the development site will span approximately 145 acres, which includes the 105 acres acquired from the Trinity Valley Community College Foundation in October and another 40 adjacent acres previously purchased by KEDC, the Dallas Business Journal reported.
Economic development leaders are ultimately hoping the site attracts businesses and talent to the region. From 2021 to 2022, Kaufman County was listed as the fastest-growing county in Texas and the second fastest-growing country, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
As one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties, the site, which is currently being marketed for sale, is sure to lure in business and capital investment, according to KEDC. Overall, the economic development agency says the site is able to support roughly 1.2 million square feet of industrial space and could attract about $340 million in capital investment.
Tom Allison and Milton Black of Dallas-based Range Realty Advisors represented KEDC in the purchase.
As growth expands outward to counties like Kaufman and Collin, economic development officials at the local level must figure out how to re-entice developers and builders back to Dallas. However, this is easier said than done, particularly with Dallas officials proposing increasing development fees on an already slow process.