Page 6 - 2016Progress.March27

6 – El Dorado NEWS-TIMES – Sunday, March 27
Progress 2016 – Business & Industry
Chamber
Continued from Page 3
If these negotiations are successful, one local business would have increased oper- ating space while the other would gener- ate 60 jobs. “We’re working very closely with them with land and financing.”
There are many promising changes and improvements on the horizon for the city of El Dorado and Union County. Dumas said that Conifex, the new owners of the Georgia Pacific Sawmill, are scheduled to meet with Union County Judge Mike Loftin on April 1 and are expected to start renovations of the mill in the next few months.
Also, improvements to Mellor Park Mall have begun with a contractor on-site work-
ing on the North West section. In addition, Dumas said that the chamber is currently working with the owners
of North West Village to
find a buyer for the cen- ter.
“We always have our
ear to the ground for
those looking at south
Arkansas,” said Dumas.
“I’ve been here four
months now and I’ve
been surprised at the
amount of places that
not only want to expand,
but are looking to come to El Dorado. It’s very exciting.”
Dumas also said that the chamber is cur- rently in talks with two other prospective
businesses that would be a total shock to the community. “If we can work some- thing out, it should be announced in a couple of months,” said Dumas. “I haven’t even told my wife about these.”
“We are working to move the chamber forward and to pull the community togeth- er, not just El Dorado but Union County,” Dumas said. “We have Business After Hours, the Economic Outlook Luncheon, golf tournament and ShrimpFest. We’re trying to really get people involved and put food in their stomachs.”
The Be Pro Be Proud initiative is a new program being offered by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas in asso- ciation with the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, El Dorado School District and
South Arkansas Community College. A Be Pro Be Proud Launch and Learn event will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at El Dorado High School. Dumas said that the goal of this program is to encourage high school graduates who are not planning on attend- ing college to obtain a skill. According to the Be Pro Be Proud program, it is an ini- tiative to bring a new generation of pride, progress and professionals to Arkansas’ skilled workforce to help fix the state’s skills gap problem.
According to Dumas, the executive board is expected to make a final decision on the Chamber of Commerce’s permanent executive director in the upcoming annual meeting.
Dumas
What resources are out there for business owners?
Jessica Stevens
jstevens@eldoradonews.com
“A small town with the ame- nities of a big city, El Dorado is the economic engine, educa- tional hub and cultural center of Southern Arkansas,” according to Startup Savant, an online maga- zine for aspiring business own- ers. “Economic engine because multinational companies have developed deep roots in the community and educational hub because they offer a scholarship program for El Dorado High School graduates, a tuition schol- arship that can be used at any
accredited Arkansas public uni- versity or community college.”
Arkansas is currently ranked the 20th best state in the nation to conduct business in by CNBC – which is an American basic cable, internet and satellite busi- ness new television channel. According to Startup Savant, the Natural State has been touted as having some of the lowest business startup costs, one of the friendliest business regulato- ry environments and one of the most educated work forces in the country. There are many state resources available to those who wish to start a small business or
expand an existing business in the state, according to Startup Savant.
Startup El Dorado Entrepreneur Resource Center is a city-funded center with a goal of connecting entrepreneurs with the critical resources needed to launch a grow a business. The idea for the center was derived from a need for entrepreneurs to have access to the tools and experts needed in one, convenient place.
The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is a premier business assistance provider which is a university based economic pro-
gram that works with all types of businesses from home-based to high-tech. ASBTDC serves in every aspect of business creation, management, and operation including one-on-one confiden- tial coaching and cutting edge market research.
Arkansas Veteran is a site that helps bring retired Arkansas vet- erans and their families together in one place for veteran-relat- ed resources, news, information, and agency contacts. They also provide information on veterans benefits related to employment, income tax exemption, veteran’s homes, and veteran’s cemeteries.
My Arkansas Insurance is a state-based health insurance exchange established to be man- aged and implemented in accor- dance with state and federal laws. It offers plan benefit options for small businesses based on pre-existing conditions, budgets, or employees needs.
The Arkansas Scene is a win- dow into the state’s entrepre- neurs, start ups, tech, and the social landscape, according to Arscene.net. This site works to aid in the genesis and growth of companies by helping them con- nect to resources.
Remember when....
Who is expanding in the area?
Jessica Stevens
jstevens@eldoradonews.com
Proof that El Dorado and Union County is a great place to do business, many large corporations have decided to make Union County expand their current operations in the community over the last year.
El Dorado Festivals and Events is planning an $80 million Arts and Entertainment District in the southern end of the city’s downtown area. According to El Dorado Festival and Events’ website, plans have been made to transform and re-purpose a group of historic structures in downtown El Dorado into a new arts and entertainment district that cel- ebrates and builds upon the city’s distinctive legacy of cul- ture, community, architecture, music and performing arts.
Nationally-recognized design firm, Westlake Reed Leskosky, has prepared a master plan for the multi-venue district that will infuse existing historic structures with new energy through flexibility of use and a variety of cul- tural and entertainment activities that will appeal to local, regional and national contemporary audiences and future generations, according to the El Dorado Festivals and Events website.
The 1929 Rialto Theater Music Hall and the Griffin Auto Co., both listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be adapted for use as new performance venues. These will be connected with other surrounding historic struc- tures for a varied mix of entertainment, dining and social amenities.
Applied Specialties Inc. began production of it’s UltraLime high performance lime slurry at it’s El Dorado location in July of last year, according to ASI’s website. The El Dorado location is part of a 24-acre combined water treatment chemicals production facility. The new lime slurry pro- duction facility will permit ASI to satisfy it’s various water treatment clients with increased support while providing greater access for clients to take advantage of the improved performance and cost benefits of using UltraLime, accord- ing to ASI’s website.
El Dorado Chemical’s $600 million expansion project is expected to create 60 permanent jobs, according to the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce’s website. The El Dorado Chemical Co. expansion project will include new facilities such as an ammonia plant, nitric acid concentrator, a new control room for the ammonia and nitric acid plants, a 30,000 ton ammonia storage tank and a weatherly nitric acid unit. According to the chamber’s website, the expansion is planned to be finished in May 2016.
Clean Harbors is undertaking a $120 million expansion project that will result in the creation of 120 permanent jobs, according to the chamber’s website. Clean Harbors has begun construction on a state-of-the-art industrial waste destruction unit. The unit will not only create over 100 new jobs in the El Dorado community, but also almost double the waste destruction capacity at the El Dorado complex.
Murphy Oil Corporation’s $30 million headquarters expansion at the corner of Peach and Jackson downtown now houses the headquarter’s lobby and general meeting rooms and connects to an adjacent five-story building that holds the company’s offices, according to the chamber website.
The renovation of the former Murphy Oil building will result in an expansion for Murphy USA, who will relocate to that facility, according to Mike Dumas, acting president and chief executive officer of the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce.
Therma-Flite Manufacturing’s $2 million expansion will result in the expansion of 33,000 square feet of manufac- turing, office and break room space, as well as additional equipment including a paint booth, blasting booth, roll forming press and a horizontal press, according to the chamber’s website. These improvements will enable the company to increase production and create 25 new jobs in the El Dorado area.
Great Lakes Solutions, a Chemtura business, announced in February plans to begin construction of a pilot plant facility at their existing South Plant manufacturing site in El Dorado. An approximately $5 million investment, the new pilot plant is part of Chemtura’s ongoing commitment to innovation and new product development, according to Patty Cardin, manager, public relations/land and govern- ment affairs for Great Lakes Solutions.
The new plant is designed to serve as a scale-up and test facility within the global technology group and will be a bridge between traditional laboratory experimentation and full-scale commercial production. The new pilot plant will be utilized not only by Great Lakes Solutions, but also by other Chemtura businesses, she said.
The pilot plant will be a modern, newly construction, state-of-the-art, flexible facility that will occupy a footprint of approximately 11,000 square feet. Included in this foot- print will be space for operating bays, a laboratory and asso- ciated equipment. The new facility will employ 10 people total, with six of those positions being new to the El Dorado Great Lakes Solutions sites.
Sidewalk expansion finally complete
Tia Lyons
tlyons@eldoradonews.com
After nearly a year and a half, the second phase of the downtown side- walk improvement project is coming close to the end.
In July 2014, crews began phase two of a project to replace dam- aged sidewalks in the city’s historic downtown with attractive concrete pavers.
Workers began on the south side of Main Street, and they have since criss-crossed downtown to the cur- rent work site on the west side of South Washington between Elm and Oak.
Robert Edmonds, director of pub- lic works, said that with dry weather, that portion of the project could be completed by the end of next week.
“They’re finishing up. You know we had that rain last weekend, and the holidays threw us off little bit,” Edmonds said.
Phase two is being covered by $2.75 million from the former El Dorado Forward economic development sales tax.
It was part of a $9.02 million pack- age that the city committed to El Dorado Festivals and Events, Inc., to assist in a major project to develop an arts and entertainment district on the south end of Downtown El Dorado.
Union County also pitched in $300,000 to replace the sidewalks immediately surrounding the county courthouse, bringing the total bud- get for phase two of downtown side- walk improvements to $3 million.
Edmonds has said that the city will work until the money runs out, add- ing that the $3 million has covered more ground than initially antici- pated.
“We’re right almost to the end. We
actually did a little bit more than we thought were going to get done,” Edmonds said.
The scope of the project has been broadened to include the section of South Washington that is currently under construction, and Edmonds said he believes there will be enough money left to head east to Jefferson between Elm and Oak.
He said costs are now averaging about $80,000 per section, down from $93,000 early on.
Edmonds previously explained that costs were expected to decrease as the job moved farther away from the center of downtown.
Initial components of the project included water and electrical hook- ups to accommodate large outdoor events, and Edmonds said those components would not be necessary for the outer blocks of the down- town area.
“Having all of those amenities in place will save money because we won’t have to have temporary hook- ups for power and water,” Edmonds said.
New street lamps are also a piece of the project.
On South Washington, Edmonds said two existing concrete lamps are going to be left in place on the south- west corner, while new aluminum poles will be installed in other areas of the block to complement new street lamps that have been erected around the square for the duration of the sidewalk project.
“They have receptacles at the top for Christmas lights and receptacles at the bottom for festival, street-type stuff,” Edmonds said. “If they want to plug in a radio or a fan they can.”
He said sidewalks repairs for phase two have gone faster, despite a rainy fall and winter in 2014 and spring and early summer this year.
It takes crews about 10 days to repair one section, he has said.
Edmonds said he has already begun putting together a funding proposal for phase three to be covered by the city’s new economic development sales tax, which went into effect on Oct. 1.
The El Dorado City Council is working to form a new board to administer the 10-year tax, of which 32 percent has been dedicated to public works/municipal projects, including sidewalk repairs.
Edmonds said the next phase of the sidewalk project will also hinge on plans by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to widen U.S. 82B/Hillsboro through El Dorado.
Proposed highway plans call for a streetscape project that will head north on West Avenue from Hillsboro, he said.
“We’ll probably need to see how far north that streetscape is going to go. We’ll try to get it (the sidewalk project) as far north as we can — probably to Peach Street,” Edmonds said.
He also said he will draft a second proposal to replace sidewalks in the area near the El Dorado Conference Center and South Arkansas Community College.
“I think the next prioritizing we need to is tie in the few blocks toward Murphy Oil and Murphy USA and southwest to the college to the walkability of that lot and dress it up,” Edmonds said. “We’ll let the city council look at them both to see what they want to do.”
—El Dorado , Sunday, December 06, 2015