Jefferson County EIDA sites earn national recognition

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April 22, 2025

Two Jefferson County industrial sites have earned national honors through the Site Selectors Guild’s REDI Sites program, the Jefferson County Economic & Industrial Development Authority (JCEIDA) announced on April 8.

The REDI Sites program, launched in 2024, offers a standardized way to evaluate industrial site readiness across municipalities and states. It assesses factors like infrastructure capacity, development readiness, ownership, and entitlements, providing site selection consultants with access to a national database of vetted, project-ready locations.

“We are thrilled to be part of the REDI Sites program and receive two (2) prestigious designations,” said Othell Phillips, Executive Director of JCEIDA. “This recognition highlights Jefferson County’s readiness to attract major investments while also providing valuable feedback to further enhance our sites. Being listed in a national database of project-ready sites is a major advantage in our economic development efforts.”

Both sites are located at JeffMet Park in McCalla and are served by Norfolk Southern rail lines:

RedRock South (NS) Site: Spanning 102.63 acres, this site earned a REDI Sites ‘Bronze’ designation.
Cowley Site: Covering 140 acres and expandable to 190 acres, this site received a REDI Sites ‘Emerging’ designation.

Founded in 1995, JCEIDA focuses on building a strong inventory of commercial sites to support new and expanding businesses in Jefferson County. The organization promotes the county as a manufacturing hub, encourages investment, supports the growth of existing businesses, and advocates for a competitive business environment.

Administered by the Site Selectors Guild, the REDI Sites program sets a national standard for assessing industrial and office site readiness. It provides a rigorous evaluation process and a searchable database for site selection consultants across the nation.

Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sablevins@farmerstel.com.

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