Two Mega Developments in Chatham County
Pittsboro, NC – Two developments on opposite ends of Chatham would change the landscape and the economic character of the county. What do you think about it?
Chatham/Randolph Megasite
On the west side of the county, just past Siler City, is the Chatham/Randolph Megasite. It’s a huge tract of land suitable for automobile manufacturing.
Yes, autos. Right here in North Carolina.
South Carolina has auto manufacturing (BMW). Tennessee has Nissan and VW. Alabama has 4 car plants.
Southeast Auto Manufacturing Map adapted from Mississippi.org.
North Carolina has no automobile manufacturing, so this is big news. The site is being pre-qualified as we’d say in real estate by Duke Energy. Car factories use a lot of energy, and availability of resources is a big plus for this site.
The Chatham/Randolph megasite is just north of the Siler City Airport and covers more than 1,700 acres. A small portion crosses into Randolph County, hence the name.
A typical auto plant might employ a couple of thousand workers when it gets up to full speed. But competition is fierce, both from other NC sites and across the region.
Read more in:
Chatham Park
On the eastern side of the county, right here in Pittsboro, plans are being made for a development called Chatham Park.
If you think the Megasite was huge, Chatham Park will knock your socks off – more than 7,000 acres.
Chatham Park would occupy the land to the east of Pittsboro – between the town and Jordan Lake.
Map from Preston Development.
Chatham Park is designed as a live-work-play community – an extension of RTP around the west side of Jordan Lake. But with housing. Lots of housing. Potentially 50,000 people.
Current population of Pittsboro: 3,781. Another 2,983 in the ETJ (outside of town). So, less than 7,000 people no matter how you count it.
So have called it the Cary-fication of Pittsboro. Reinforcing that idea, Preston Development is a Cary company backed by Dr. Jim Goodnight, the founder of SAS.
More info:
What Do You Think?
What do you think about these two developments bookending Chatham County?