Spotlight on Montgomery County: Community Development

Montgomery County has been attracting industries, opening trails, constructing community centers and more

A downtown view of Alabama’s Capitol in Montgomery.

The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce wrapped up its 151st annual meeting at the end of 2023 on a high note — celebrating a record-breaking investment of 122 major projects totaling $3.6 billion in capital investment and 4,641 announced new jobs since 2019. And the momentum continues.

In March 2024, the Montgomery Chamber and its economic development partners received two grants totaling $2.2 million from the State of Alabama Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act (SEEDS) grant program — one for site assessment at Kershaw Investment Properties LLC, a 190-acre site on the east side of Montgomery; the other to support the Montgomery Water Works & Sanitary Sewer’s 230-acre CSX Select Gold site.

Several other developments continue to fuel economic growth in Montgomery County.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced in May that Montgomery will be home to a new 715,000-square-foot AI-optimized data center. The data center represents an $840 million investment and is expected to support approximately 150 jobs. It will be entirely supported by renewable energy and will achieve LEED Gold Certification once operational.

HD Hyundai Power Transformers USA Inc. announced in July it will invest $14 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Montgomery, creating 50 new jobs. The expansion includes building a new warehouse, expanding yard storage and acquiring a new modular transporter to facilitate moving parts and materials.

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In May, Genpak LLC, a leading foodservice packaging manufacturer headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, celebrated a $22.8 million expansion of its manufacturing facility in the Montgomery Industrial Park.

Montgomery serves as a logistical and administrative hub for the Port of Alabama, which is set to expand when the Montgomery Inland Port opens in 2025. The project is expected to create 2,618 direct and indirect jobs and generate $340 million in business revenues and more than $14.2 million in state and local taxes.

Montgomery Whitewater.

Montgomery Whitewater has been making a big splash in Montgomery County. The park, one of only three Olympic-standard recirculating whitewater facilities in the country, opened in 2023 and offers a variety of outdoor activities for people of all skill levels. Montgomery Whitewater was also the first venue in Alabama to host the U.S. Olympic Trials for canoe and kayak slalom in April 2024. In addition to rafting and kayaking, the 120-acre adventure center includes walking trails, restaurant and bar and ample green space for live entertainment and other activities. The park has recently introduced new attractions, including an aerial ropes course with zip lines and a seasonal outdoor ice-skating rink. Future plans include rock climbing and bouldering areas, additional scenic trails for hiking and biking, flatwater activities, an on-site hotel and retail spaces.

Development of the River Region Trail project is underway in Montgomery. The first phase of the planned network of recreational trails throughout the city is a 30-mile connected loop of pedestrian trail that will link downtown to east Montgomery. At the same time, the project plans to build a trail system, nature center and boardwalk in the 260-acre Cypress Nature Preserve.

In July 2024, the Montgomery Lions Club opened a Children’s Sensory Trail that connects Riverfront Park and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. The trail, which when fully complete will connect Maxwell Air Force Base to the Montgomery Marina, is designed especially with sight-impaired youth in mind and features interactive sound stations, tactile pathways, scent gardens and visual stimuli displays.

Construction is underway on the Calmar Community Center, a $2.5 million, 5,000-square-foot facility that will include meeting rooms and classrooms for pre-K programming, workforce development and continuing education programs. The facility will also host activities for senior citizens, high school students and more. It is expected to open in the spring of 2025.

In addition to the new community center, the city has recently completed or is wrapping up construction and renovations of four other community centers, the Crump Community Center, the Sheridan Heights Community Center, the Chisholm Community Center and the TRC Community Center.

In March 2024, the city was awarded a $36 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation that will be used to revitalize historic West Montgomery by providing more transportation options.

In August 2024, the Department of Air Force Information Technology and Cyberpower Conference returned to Montgomery, signaling the area’s growing influence as a hub for cybersecurity and IT innovation and strengthening its reputation as a central player in the nation’s defense and technology ecosystem. The conference brought together nearly 5,000 military, tech and IT leaders from around the world and funneled an estimated $8.6 million into the local economy.

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama has developed a strong relationship with Montgomery Public Schools over the years and supports a number of STEM-related initiatives. Most recently, HMMA partnered on a middle school STEM unit based on automotive manufacturing that offered 190 students from nine middle schools a challenge to design and build prototype for vehicles in 2050. HMMA also partnered on a program that introduces middle school students to robotics, sustainability and emerging technology in the automotive industry.

Capitol Heights Middle School will soon have a new campus, including gymnasium, band room, auditorium, weight room and media center. Construction is expected to be complete by 2026.

In other school news, Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) High School ranked 21st nationally and first in the state for best magnet high schools according to U.S. News & World Report.

TOWN OF PIKE ROAD

Located in eastern Montgomery County, the Town of Pike Road is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the state and added hundreds of new residents in 2023, bringing its population up to just more than 11,000.

Inevitably, with growth come infrastructure needs, and the town is at work on several projects to address this issue – two new roundabouts on U.S. Highway 80, a turn lane at the intersection of Marler Road and Highway 110 and more. The roundabout, a joint effort by the town and the Alabama Department of Transportation, is slated for completion in 2026.

In May, the town broke ground on the new Pike Road High School. Located on 73 acres, the 200,000-square-foot facility will have more than 55 classrooms, a career tech center with STEM labs, science labs and two gymnasiums. The project is expected to be completed in August 2026.

In June 2023, construction began on a new 577-acre residential neighborhood in Pike Road that will feature pickleball courts, a dog spa, dog parks, a splash pad, pool and fitness center.

In April 2024, local leadership adopted a multi-project capital improvement initiative called Onward Town of Pike Road. Proposed projects include roundabouts in Waugh Town Center; pedestrian facilities; road and sewer improvements; public safety improvements; a new economic development park; additional sports facilities and trails; an arts district centered on the historic McFadden Home; a livestock teaching barn; and a new amphitheater.

“The Town of Pike Road exudes enthusiasm,” says Mayor Gordon Stone. “Our citizens are active participants in each of our key pillars: planning, quality of life, services and education. We are thrilled to honor the commitment of our residents with the many new and exciting projects that are a part of Onward Town of Pike Road.

“We congratulate our local businesses on a successful year, the Pike Road Schools for their ‘A’ on the Alabama Department of Education State Report Card, and our citizens for their support of our arts, agriculture, athletics and charities. The Town of Pike Road is blessed by its residents every single day.”

This article appears in the January 2025 issue of Business Alabama.

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