Nine new businesses coming to Athens
Jun. 8—ATHENS — Nine businesses, including locations for Old Navy, Ace Hardware and a new Jack's fast-food restaurant, are coming to Athens and will bring 340 jobs with an estimated $28.3 in annual sales tax revenue.
The Athens City Council on Monday approved incentives for the three developments bringing the businesses to the city.
Five of the businesses will be in the Noon Athens project, a strip mall located on U.S. 72 East near Interstate 65 behind Wendy's. Its retailers will include TJ Maxx, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Ulta Beauty and Five Below. The stores will supply 125 jobs and bring in an estimated sales tax revenue of $20 million annually.
Under an economic development project agreement, the Noon Athens developers will receive a total of $6 million in incentives paid in installments. The city will provide the first $2 million installment after all five stores are open. After the stores operate one year, the city will provide another $2 million incentive. After the stores have been open two years, the city will provide an additional $2 million incentive.
Mayor Ronnie Marks said the city has been working for about a year and a half on the Noon Athens project.
"We stretched our incentive package a little further than usual with this site because our citizens have demanded for years to have more shopping opportunities," Marks said.
District 2 Councilman Harold Wales said, "This is what we've been waiting on for a long time. We need these stores in Athens. These stores will benefit Athens hopefully for years to come."
At least three more businesses will be part of a Ming Commercial Real Estate Group project at U.S. 72 East and Bab Daly Road. The development will include Chicken Salad Chick, Ace Hardware, Valvoline and a 2.5-acre site for additional retail. The stores will supply 165 jobs and bring in an estimated sales tax revenue of $6.5 million annually.
The economic development project agreement calls for the reimbursement of sales tax generated from the new retailers for six years or until $800,000 maximum is reimbursed, whichever comes first.
Water, sewer, gas, and electric services will all be extended to the site. There will be new turn lanes on U.S. 72 at the entrance and media improvements at the Greenfield Drive intersection. There will be a new road for U.S. 72 access and internal lots.
The ninth new business is a Jack's at U.S. 72 West and Lucas Ferry Road. The restaurant will supply 50 jobs and bring in an estimated sales tax revenue of $1.8 million annually. It will be the third Jack's in Athens, with one located on U.S. 72 East and another on U.S. 31 North near Athens High School.
The economic development project agreement is the reimbursement of sales tax generated for five years or until $200,000 maximum is reimbursed, whichever comes first.
For infrastructure improvements, the turn lanes on U.S. 72 will be extended as requested by the Alabama Department of Transportation. The city agreed to put $200,000 toward the ALDOT project.
Jack's will be in Councilwoman Dana Henry's District 4, and she said people in her district "are crying out for this sort of thing and I'm very excited about it."
Marks said the additional jobs and capital investments on these projects are good for the city.
"We're continuing to grow. We're the second fastest growing city in the state of Alabama. We've got to give our folks an opportunity to shop local, stay local," Marks said.
Marks said the developers have not given a construction start date. However, he said, "I expect that you may see dirt moving on some of them in the next 60 to 90 days. ... I know they're anxious to get started."
—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.
