By Sadie Nott
In the spring of 2017, Tabor City, NC, a town located in Columbus County with a population of just over 4,000, engaged NCGrowth to study the feasibility of developing an industrial incubator. Tabor City witnessed severe economic decline over the last couple of decades as the tobacco and textile industries left the area for reasons such as the global outsourcing of work and lack of support for the tobacco industry. In recent years however, smaller scale industrial businesses are beginning to trickle back into the area and express interest in locating in Columbus County.
While Tabor City had developed an incubator in the late 1990s, that space is now completely full. In order to attract industry to the best of their ability, Tabor City was eager to explore the idea of developing more space for growing manufacturing firms.
NCGrowth’s analysis resulted in a report offering the Town greater clarity on the benefits and disadvantages of developing a new industrial incubator on four different sites under consideration. It also makes recommendations for program implementation and management of the space.
Sadie Nott is an NCGrowth analyst and Masters in City and Regional Planning candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Email Carolyn Fryberger for a copy of this report.