In the high stakes world of economic development, you have to be ready to act when opportunity knocks on the door. That’s why Market Van Buren is pleased to announce that Van Buren County has scored one of 45 grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to get sites ready for new business attraction.
Zachary Morris is Executive Director of Market Van Buren. He says, “One of the seven key strategies put forward by the Market Van Buren board is to make sure our industrial sites are ready to go.”
Morris notes, “It was a collaborative effort of Market Van Buren, Van Buren County, Village of Mattawan, Kinexus Group and others. We are proud of to be one of recipients of funding.”
Market Van Buren is an economic development organization and subsidiary of Kinexus Group that is charged with economic and community development in Van Buren County.
Awarded through the new competitive Michigan Build Ready Sites program, the targeted grant program is aimed at boosting Michigan’s inventory of available properties ready to compete for new business. It is a competitive process that awarded $3.3 million across Michigan and $78K to Van Buren County.
This particular site in Mattawan will focus on attracting and growing companies within the Life Sciences industry cluster. Within the region, the Life Sciences industry has a location quotient of 16, meaning it has 16 times the national average for people working in the industry. Additionally, industry clustering can increase a community’s chances of attracting and growing those targeted companies.
Morris says, “Life Sciences companies offer everyone in the community an opportunity to prosper. People with low educational attainment all the way to PHD’s can be found in this industry.” He adds, “This is an especially important strategy, given the impending closure of the Palisades nuclear plant which also has many high-paying jobs in the community.”
The Market Van Buren board, made up of public and private sector leaders from throughout the County, has set a clear objective of preparing the community for future growth. That includes making sure it has vetted industrial sites, communities ready to embrace people and business growth, and the talent who can help the companies grow.
Morris suggests, “With the strategic oversight of the Market Van Buren Board of Directors, this is a huge win for Van Buren County. We’re excited to see these funds create an even more competitive community.”
Market Van Buren is an economic development organization dedicated to the advancement of economic growth in Van Buren County. The organization was formed to bring the public and private sectors together to advance the economic interests of Van Buren county. For more information, you can “like” Market Van Buren on Facebook or visit www.marketvanburen.org.
