DeKalb County has secured two state SEEDS grants to fund critical site assessment work at industrial parks in Fyffe and Collinsville, positioning both communities to compete for future economic development projects.
The DeKalb County Economic Development Authority announced that the county was awarded two Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy, or SEEDS, grants as part of a $15.7 million statewide investment supporting 21 industrial sites across Alabama.
The grants, awarded through a program announced by Governor Kay Ivey, will provide nearly $100,000 for due diligence studies at the Fyffe Industrial Park and the Collinsville Industrial Park.
The DeKalb County EDA applied for the grants on behalf of the Town of Fyffe Industrial Development Board and the City of Collinsville.
The funding will cover site assessments commonly required in national site selection processes, including geotechnical reports, Phase I and Phase II environmental studies, wetlands delineation reports, ecological studies and cultural and historical resource surveys. Such evaluations are often necessary before sites are considered in competitive requests for information and proposals.
The Collinsville Industrial Park is a 75-acre site on County Road 51 with frontage on Interstate 59, less than a mile from Exit 205. The Fyffe Industrial Park includes two lots totaling 56 acres on Lingerfelt Drive with frontage on Alabama Highway 75. Both sites have access roads and are marketed for their transportation advantages and operating costs.
Completion of the assessments is expected later this year, allowing both properties to be marketed immediately to industrial prospects. The studies are also typically required before sites become eligible for additional state development grants that fund infrastructure improvements such as grading and utility construction.
“DeKalb County is once again proving the power of partnerships and planning can make growing rural communities like Collinsville and Fyffe more competitive for new job creation prospects,” said Brett Johnson, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Authority. “With these critical due diligence reports in hand, DeKalb County EDA will be able to elevate these sites to the top of the list of eligible properties for the dozens of RFIs and RFPs we receive annually.”
Johnson said SEEDS funding allows rural communities to invest in site readiness without diverting resources from essential services.
“By matching local dollars with state resources, pursuing these site assessments is now feasible,” Johnson said. “Without SEEDS funding, prioritizing these studies above critical city and town needs like public safety and sanitation is a challenge for rural communities with limited financial resources.”
Local leaders said the grants represent an opportunity to attract jobs and investment.
“We appreciate the State of Alabama and DeKalb County EDA for recognizing our industrial park as a worthwhile investment,” Fyffe Mayor Paul Cagle said. “The Fyffe Industrial Development Board is eager to see new jobs created here, and we are thankful for their leadership in helping us remain competitive. It truly is a team effort.”
Collinsville Mayor Jeff Chandler said the grant could help unlock long standing potential at the site.
“I can’t say enough about what this grant means to us,” Chandler said. “This property has been in a prime location for many years, and we hope to see good paying jobs created here for our community. This state funding is a blessing for our city, and we’re ready to put it to good use.”
In 2024, the City of Henagar received one of the state’s first SEEDS site development grants to fund pad ready grading work at the Henagar Industrial Park. That project is currently under construction and expected to be completed in the coming months.
