West Branch Commerce Park Site Receives CSX Select Site Designation

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CSX today announced that a portion of the West Branch Commerce Park in Berkeley County, South Carolina has been designated a CSX Select Site.

Select Sites are development-ready properties along the CSX network where standard land use issues and comprehensive due diligence items have been previously addressed.  These properties are pre-positioned to meet manufacturers' needs, which significantly reduces the time required to construct facilities and ultimately bring products to market.

"The State of South Carolina continues to be a magnet for new industry," said Clark Robertson, assistant vice president, regional development at CSX. "Located 30 miles from the Port of Charleston, this site is ideal for manufacturers with overseas customers or international supply chains and is well-positioned to capitalize on the area's superior logistics capabilities."

Formerly a wholesale nursery operation, this 689-acre industrial park is adjacent to both U.S. Highway 52 and CSX's mainline, three miles south of the Town of Moncks Corner. The southern half of the park, totaling 362 acres, received CSX Select Site designation.

CSX introduced the Select Site program in 2012 to better serve new or existing customers on its network. CSX partners with The Austin Company, a nationally-known site selection consulting firm, to screen candidate sites and assist communities with the application and certification process.

Anita Zucker, whose company owns the site, said, "As both a CSX Select Site and a South Carolina Department of Commerce certified site, West Branch is ready for the immediate development of rail-served industry and manufacturing along Berkeley County's prime US-52 growth corridor."

The West Branch Commerce Park is the third site in South Carolina and the first in South Carolina's Low Country to be designated as a CSX Select Site.

"Today's announcement of West Branch Commerce Park being chosen for CSX Select Site certification is a testament to Berkeley County's highly attractive investment environment – incredible infrastructure, a well-trained labor force and the lowest county government tax rate in the state," said Hon. Bill Peagler, Berkeley County Supervisor.

To receive CSX Select Site designation, the location must meet a rigorous list of criteria, including infrastructure and utility availability, environmental reviews, appropriate zoning and entitlement, rail serviceability, proximity to highways or interstates, and other attributes. Once certified, the sites are featured on a new user-friendly web portal that includes press releases, promotional materials and direct marketing to site selection professionals.

To learn more about CSX Select Sites online, visit www.csxselectsites.com

About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).

SOURCE CSX