Bartow Targets Cass-White Road for Urban Redevelopment

Bartow County is hoping to bring business and jobs to an area of Cartersville already plagued by high crime and eye sores. 

Commissioner Steve Taylor yesterday at a public meeting authorized staffers to prepare an Urban Redevelopment plan for the Cass-White Road area of Cartersville, which could open the door for Opportunity Zones—tax credits for companies creating jobs in that area, which includes industrial park Highland 75, Zoning Division Manager Brandon Johnson said.

Highland 75, a joint venture between the county and the city of Cartersville, landed its first tenant last year with automotive industry supplier voestalpine Metal Forming. The Austrian company is investing $62 million in a new plant and creating 220 jobs.

The county is hoping to include about 30 parcels of land in its Urban Redevelopment plan, expected to be complete later this month, including a condemned hotel, a boarded-up former Waffle House restaurant and a dilapidated house, Johnson said.  He added the area has become a dumping ground, with several unauthorized dumpsites, including one in Highland 75.

The city and county footed the bill for the Highland 75 cleanup, according to Johnson. 

See a map of the proposed Urban Redevelopment areas above or click here.

See all the agenda items approved by Taylor above or click here.

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Agenda.public Meeting 10-9-2013