Аш-Каунти получила федеральный грант на строительство промышленных зданий после урагана

JEFFERSON — Ashe County received a $267,080 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for the design, engineering, and permitting of three shell buildings at Ashe Industrial Park in West Jefferson. Ashe County’s funds are part of a broader $34.2 million federal disaster recovery award program, according to the USEDA. The awards are an early milestone in a long-term effort to support economic growth in this region, according to a USEDA press release. These awards are being provided through EDA’s FY 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant program, a $1.5 billion effort to support economic recovery activities in areas that received major disaster declarations because of hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and flooding, tornadoes, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2023 and 2024, according to eda.gov. “President Trump is delivering on his promise to rebuild southern communities impacted by hurricanes. Today’s grant announcement in North Carolina invests in long-term economic growth and resiliency that will benefit generations in these communities,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Paul Dabbar in a press release. “The Department of Commerce is committed to providing communities with the resources they need to recover from the economic impacts of natural disasters and encouraging public-private partnerships that drive economic growth.” USEDA Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Ben Page echoed Dabbar’s prepared comments. “The grants announced today will support the Department of Commerce’s holistic approach to recovery in Western North Carolina. Each project will expand American manufacturing competitiveness, create jobs, and support business expansion throughout the area, which is still recovering from the economic devastation caused by Hurricane Helene,” said Page. County officials broke ground on a new shell building at the industrial park on April 20 to entice manufacturers to expand operations locally and create new jobs. The 15,000-square-foot shell building, which is expandable to 30,000 square feet, will include everything found in a typical industrial building, excluding interior furnishings, Assistant County Manager Nick Farmerie previously stated. Click to https://tinyurl.com/yv3chym8 for more information on the USEDA grants.