GEORGETOWN — When International Paper announced last year that its 87-year-old Georgetown mill would be closing and eliminating nearly 700 jobs, the city’s future seemed uncertain.
A second blow came in May when the city announced the idled Liberty Steel mill would be demolished.
But local economic development experts are optimistic the city could recover — and possibly reinvent itself.
“I can tell you advanced manufacturing is very interested in Georgetown,” said Kelly Robertson-Slagle, the county’s economic development director. “Very much so.”
Since she was hired in May, Robertson-Slagle has been working to forge a path forward for Georgetown.
Her vision includes an emphasis on logistics distribution, marine technology, tourism, aerospace technology and advanced manufacturing.
Advanced manufacturing companies use technologies such as 3D printing, robotics, lasers and advanced materials. Robertson-Slagle said they offer a variety of jobs that can range from hands-on work to engineering positions.
“There are family-sustaining jobs that are coming to our community now,” she said.
Part of Robertson-Slagle’s strategy to attract new companies is rebranding the economic development office. The effort will include a new slogan and possibly a new logo, which would be created with the help of community feedback.
Jeff McKay, executive director of the nonprofit economic development group North Eastern Strategic Alliance, said the industries Robertson-Slagle plans to target are good options to fuel growth.
And Georgetown is primed to welcome them, he said.
Not only is the city strategically located between booming Myrtle Beach and Charleston, but it’s already completed much of the groundwork needed to attract new companies.
For example, the creation of the Georgetown County Business Park has made room for manufacturers such as Zilmet USA, a subsidiary of an Italy-based plumbing parts company, and Diatom, which produces sustainable building materials.
The business park only has about 120 acres left for sale, but Robertson-Slagle said the county is eyeing a new piece of property to create an additional park.
There has also been a significant amount of developer interest in a 948-acre site on Pennyroyal Road near the Winyah Generating Station. About 375 acres are still available for purchase, according to the county’s economic development website.
Robertson-Slagle said she’s been pleasantly surprised by the number of companies interested in Georgetown.
“I can tell you that we have a really active pipeline,” she said.
McKay said there’s no shortage of work ethic in Georgetown’s labor force, particularly among former mill employees. But he said many of them will have to learn new skills to adapt to the shift away from heavy industry. He said the county has worked closely with state and local agencies to provide them with training and other resources.
“Preparation breeds success, and I think they (the county) are doing the right things,” he said.
Waterfront redevelopment on the horizon?
The redevelopment of Georgetown’s port is also key to spurring economic growth, officials said.
Last week, the county sent out a request for qualifications that invited developers to share their vision for a master plan and make a case why they should lead that project.
The county is seeking a master plan that supports a mixed-use district, which blends public space, small business, recreation and housing.
Uses for the site could include various types of housing, retail, offices, hospitality, civic venues and public open space, according to the RFQ.
The county has encouraged respondents to consider plans for a marina along the river and emphasized the new vision should preserve the city’s industrial and cultural legacy while promoting walkability and waterfront access.
Robertson-Slagle said she imagines the port as a place where people can enjoy restaurants, walk through parks and stay in a hotel similar to The George between the river and Front Street.
The county will accept responses to the RFQ for six weeks. By Oct. 1, it hopes to invite developers to the port for a Q&A session and a tour of the property.
A local review committee will be established when the RFQ window closes, and three to five developers will be invited back to bid on the creation of the master plan, Robertson-Slagle said.
She and other officials have emphasized the need for cohesion between the port and the Liberty Steel and IP sites.
The Liberty Steel mill was idled last year after cutting jobs and selling some of its equipment. Demolition of the mill began earlier this year. Officials have said an unidentified developer plans to put mixed-use project on the property and has also expressed interest in IP land.
The sale of the IP property is expected to be a longer process, and significant environmental cleanup would likely be needed before anything could be built there, officials said.
Some people, including state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, have advocated for adding a biomass power plant on the site.