Asbestos assessment at former mental hospital property continues, Rome Floyd County Development Authority elects officers
The Rome Floyd County Development Authority is still working to assess any asbestos mitigation needed for the former Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital site.
Even with the site in its current state, the authority is seeking to recruit new manufacturers to locate on the 100-plus acres of land. There’s also the potential that nearby industries could choose to expand using the available property.
In order to assess the cleanup costs and needs of the site, the authority received a $500,000 federal grant in May. The grant funds will be used for, among other things, environmental cleanup assessment and planning purposes for sites like the former hospital property.
Recently there have been two dates they had lined up for engineers to come out to the site to assess it, but both have fallen through.
“We’re just trying to get them out there as quickly as their schedule and our schedule allows,” RFCDA President Missy Kendrick said.
One of the things moving on that property is interest from filmmakers, she said.
“We’re having more interested film scouts come out there to take a look,” Kendrick said. “So far, everybody who’s gone out there has been pretty pleased. So, hopefully, we can make a little money from productions before we start any (demolitions).”
The authority is also looking at 20 acres of land at the North Floyd Industrial Park, the site of the Lowe’s Distribution Center, which was deemed usable for development after a wetlands study for the area.
Another area for potential development is 300 acres of property bordering Huffaker Road. A prospect is interested in the property, Kendrick said, but only if the land is publicly controlled.
“We have entered into an option with the owners of that property for a year in order to submit it for this,” Kendrick said.
In other business, the authority elected officers for 2023. The constitutional officers on the board re-elected current chair Jimmy Byars to another three-year term on the board, as well as back to the role of chair for 2023.
Board member Lowery May was elected to vice chair and Doc Kibler was elected to resume the role of secretary and treasurer for 2023.