Portland's Industrial Boom: A Thriving Sector Sets the Pace
PORTLAND, Tenn. (WKRN) — This quaint town of Portland boasts a delightful past.
We hold the title of the world's strawberry hub, which we gave ourselves, as far as I understand," remarked Sherri Ferguson, who serves as the director of economic and community development for the city of Portland. "Our annual strawberry festival kicked off back in 1941 and has continued without interruption. Although strawberries were once our primary source of income, they eventually took a back seat to crops like tobacco and various others over time. Nowadays, industry plays a larger role.
This is partly due to the late Larry Collins. According to Ferguson, Collins, who was from Portland and owned a construction company, had a clear vision for the city.
He put in significant effort to build up this industrial sector. We now boast two major industrial parks, which we owe largely to his contributions," Ferguson stated. "Many municipalities must allocate their funds to initiate such projects and invest heavily in infrastructure just to attract industries. Fortunately, we had Mr. Larry Collins capable of achieving all of this.
These industrial complexes feature facilities such as a Macy’s distribution hub, Kirby Building Systems, Peyton’s Midsouth, and additional entities set to join soon.
[The developer has] just one project in progress right now; it's a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. There is potential to add an additional million square feet to this land as well," Ferguson explained to News 2 crews during a tour of the construction site. "This presents yet another chance for employment opportunities here in Portland.
There has also been an increase in commercial and retail development along Highway 52.
We've been told that Waffle House is on its way; indeed, they have started construction," Ferguson stated. "The project should wrap up within the next three months.
The population of this town, which is around 14,000 people, has been increasing. Various housing projects, such as Parkside Point, have been developed gradually over time.
In 2022, we issued 45 residential permits," Ferguson stated. "The number dropped to 24 in both 2023 and 2024. When people learn about your PUD—a planned unit development—of 250 or 400 homes, they should understand these represent plans for approximately 200 to 400 residences expected within roughly the next half-decade.
Beginning construction this autumn is the Portland Bypass a fresh section of Highway 109 aimed at managing expansion, easing congestion, and improving connectivity between the city and surrounding areas.
Ferguson mentioned that Portland is currently making efforts to attract additional retailers and eateries to the region.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This content must not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.To stay updated with the most recent news, weather forecasts, sports updates, and live streams, visit WKRN News 2.
Posting Komentar untuk "Portland's Industrial Boom: A Thriving Sector Sets the Pace"
Please Leave a wise comment, Thank you