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Economic Development Digest
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| Economic Development News
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Attend The GCEDD July Meeting
The next meeting of the Gulf Coast Economic Development District (GCEDD) will be from 10 a.m. to noon July 12 at the Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston. The Center for Houston's Future will present information on the region's future economy.
GCEDD meetings provide an opportunity to network with fellow economic developers, community members, and regional stakeholders.
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The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership Moves Offices
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Foreign Investments, Exports Increases in Houston Region Over Past Decade
The Greater Houston Partnership recently announced more than 2,500 Houston manufacturing firms are currently engaged in global trade, and more than 500 foreign-owned firms have announced investments in the Houston area over the past decade. Approximately 17.3% of Houston's economy is tied to exports, nearly double the percentage in 2003, according to the latest data from the Brookings Institution.
Over the past 10 years, at least 517 foreign-owned companies have announced plans to invest in Houston through 659 different deals. Though the value of investment was made public in less than half of these deals, the cumulative total of the disclosed investment is over $33 billion.
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Apply Now for the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design Program
Since 1991, this National Endowment for the Arts Program has provided assistance to communities to address local challenges related to economic vitality and quality of life through design solutions. New this year to the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) program is a peer learning component for rural leaders that features training in design, planning, community engagement, and support in navigating funding opportunities.
Communities with a population of 50,000 or less are encouraged to apply by July 22. |
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Deadline for 2019 NADO Impact Awards is July 16
The National Association of Development Organizations recognizes member organizations that demonstrate valuable and effective approaches to regional economic and community development through The Impact Awards. Awards winners have successfully leveraged their awards to bring additional resources to their regions and have also used the awards to better explain to their various audiences the important work they do.
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Disaster Recovery Program | IEDC
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is placing experienced economic development professionals as volunteers in economic development organizations throughout
the region that can use expert input doing various
tasks such as:
- Attracting inward investment
- Business outreach, retention and recovery
- Community outreach, finance, flood control and mitigation
- Grant writing, strategic planning, and training/education
Thanks to U.S. Economic Development Administration funding, the volunteers-- who typically come for five days and then do supplementary work remotely--are completely free of charge to communities in the region.
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Economic Disaster Resiliency Workshop | IEDC and BVCOG
On July 16, the Brazos Valley Council of Governments (BVCOG), in partnership with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), will host a full-day workshop in Bryan, Texas, on economic resiliency and preparedness for communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey and other disasters. Trainings and presentations by IEDC, local organizations, and federal and state agencies will demonstrate how communities can build back better at this free workshop. For more information, please contact [email protected].
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TEEX Recovery Courses Accepting Course Requests/Reservations
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is accepting course requests and reservations. The 12-hour Disaster Recovery Public Assistance course and the four-hour Disaster Recovery for Senior Officials course can be scheduled now. TEEX will come to your community; there is no-cost for this training. For more information, contact Andrew Wenzel, Program Director, at [email protected].
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Take the GLO's Disaster Recovery Mitigation Survey
Texas will receive $4.297 billion in federal disaster mitigation funds to help vulnerable communities prepare for future disasters. The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is working to write a Mitigation Action Plan that outlines what types of activities will be funded, who will receive these funds, and how much funding will be available to each community.
This survey is one of the many ways GLO is generating feedback on needs and challenges faced by communities. This survey maybe used to generate an allocation methodology. Completion of this survey does not guarantee allocation of funds nor is it required to receive funding. |
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May Gulf Coast Labor Market Analysis
Workforce Solutions provides a monthly analysis of the Gulf Coast region's labor market. Some highlights from the May 2019 report are:
- The regional unemployment rate was 3.2%, remaining the same as last month
- Professional & Business Services added the most jobs (3,200)
- All sectors except information showed year-over-year growth
The report highlights data from the Texas Workforce Commission and the Bureau of Labor Statistics focusing on the region's 13 counties. Reports are available on Workforce Solutions' webpage.
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Future Proofing Through Smart Mobility Technology
Transportation technology and infrastructure is undergoing a significant transformation with the innovations in electrification, shared transportation, and automation. The Regional Plan for Economic Resilience highlights a case study of the work the City of Frisco did to pilot an adaptive signal control allowing traffic lights to respond to traffic conditions. This is a step toward automation in transportation.
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BUILD Transportation Grants | July 15
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation grants will be awarded to projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. BUILD funding can support roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, or intermodal transportation projects, including pre-construction activities. Local governments, including cities and counties, as well as port authorities can apply for funding. Applications are due on July 15.
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HUD HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program | July 30
U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding up to $1 million to small communities to convert unused or obsolete commercial property into housing. Eligible applicants include city and county governments.
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NEA Our Town Grant | August 8
The National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) Our Town Grants provide the opportunity for new creative placemaking projects. Projects can include public art, art festivals, public space design, and creative business development.
Projects require a partnership between a non-profit organization and a government entity. Matching grants range from $25,000 to $200,000, with a minimum cost share/match equal to the grant amount. For more information visit the NEA's website.
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Houston's Heights neighborhood will see the development of a 12-story apartment complex at the corner of West 12th and Nicholson Street. The 152-unit project will be at 510 W. 20th Street near the Heights Waterworks. Avera has purchased 40 acres in the Cedar Port Industrial Park near the Grand Parkway and FM 1405 in Baytown for the site of Cedar Port Logistics. The Houston-based developer plans to break ground on a project ranging from 610,000 square feet to 2.3 million square feet in the second quarter.
Life Time Inc. will soon break ground on a 140,000-square-foot fitness-coworking facility and a 420-unit multifamily project in The Woodlands. The $130 million mixed-use project will be near the intersection of Six Pines Drive and Lake Front Circle. Completion is expected by 2022.
The Texas Medical Center in Houston will see the construction of the first public mental health hospital built in Houston in the past 30 years. UTHealth Continuum of Care Campus for Behavioral Health broke ground on its 240-bed hospital at 5601 W. Leland Anderson St., near the UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center. The $125 million facility is scheduled to open in 2022.
The Houston Airport System broke ground on the first phase of the Houston Spaceport at the former Ellington Airport site. The spaceport would be used for the launching of micro satellites, astronaut training, zero gravity experimentation, spacecraft manufacturing,and other potential activities, including space tourism. The $18.8 million phase will include streets, wastewater, electrical power, and a 53,000-square-foot lab and office space on 154 acres.
Fidelis Realty Partners began demolition at Baytown's San Jacinto Mall. They plan to redevelop the mall and turn it into an outdoor retail and lifestyle center. The new San Jacinto Marketplace will include 1.1 million square feet of retail and 80,000 square feet of office space, restaurants, festival, and concert space. The first phase is expected to open in 2020.
The Ion is expected to break ground later this summer at 4201 Main Street, a former Sears location in Houston's Midtown. The renovated 270,000-square-foot facility is being designed to bring the area's entrepreneurial, corporate, and academic communities together into collaborative spaces and programs. A mix of restaurant and entertainment amenities will make the building a continuous hub of collaboration and activity.
Howard Hughes Corporation broke ground at the southeast intersection of Six Pines Drive and Timberloch Place in The Woodlands on a 163-unit multifamily development. The seven-story, 179,388-square-foot development is expected to be complete in late 2020.
Compiled from reports in Community Impact Newspapers, Houston Business Journal, Houston Chronicle, and Texas A&M University Real Estate Center
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