GBIC BOARD CHAIRMAN GUERRA COMMENTS ON POSSIBLE LAND PURCHASE FROM BPUB

In 2018 the so-called FM 511 corridor became a real battleground again, no, not another tardy Civil War skirmish, but a real tussle between those wanting to utilize a couple hundred acres for affordable housing(CDCB) and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, desiring to add the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville's 200 acres to their land holdings for another industrial park.

Creating industrial parks, essentially an aggregate of plots of land with utility connections in a designated area for manufacturing and other industry, has achieved mixed results, at best, for the GBIC.

GBIC Board Chairman Steve Guerra

The 55 acre North Brownsville Industrial Park, built at a cost of $4.2 million, has sold 2 of the 11 lots since its ribbon-cutting in 2011, with yet another lease tentative, according to GBIC Board Chairman Steve Guerra.

In 2017 San Diego developer Sam Marasco, whose had successes and failures in development projects, offered to take control of the North Brownsville Industrial Park, if given the necessary "exclusivity and confidentiality," but that didn't materialize.

Currently, GBIC holds about 400 acres near 511 with which they hope to build another industrial park.

An agenda point for the Closed Session of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board's scheduled Monday meeting hints at GBIC adding to their 400+ acre FM 511 holdings by adding 80+ acres of PUB land.

The agenda point, under "Closed Session" on the BPUB agenda for Monday's meeting, reads:

"Update by GBIC Regarding the Current Status of Its Economic Development Plan Which Includes Possible Acquisition of BPUB Real Estate for Its Negotiations with Business Prospects."

"Has that been approved by the City Commission?" we asked Steve Guerra.

"No, it's not even been put in front of the GBIC Board," answered Guerra.

"Our intent is to share our five year plan for economic development with PUB," continued Guerra, hinting that land acquisition may be down the line although not imminent.

As to whether or not another industrial park is needed with the one built in 2011 underutilized, Guerra hesitates to criticize current industrial park, but admits "the plots are only 5 acres and it's in a cul-de-sac."

When asked potential customers have complained about the size of plots in North Brownsville Industrial Park, Guerra says:  "We had a steel mill considering us last year that needed 1200 acres."

Guerra indicates the need for GBIC to have close cooperation with BPUB and, yes, if necessary down the line, possibly purchase acreage.

"By the way, Harlingen has three industrial parks," Guerra added.