KENTVILLE, N.S. — Officials with the Town of Kentville are reporting that interest in available land in the Kentville Business Park has ramped-up considerably as of late.
Chief administrative officer Mark Phillips reported to the council advisory committee (CAC) on July 8 that there has been a “flurry” of activity associated with the park.
The parcel of land next to White Rock Mechanical has officially been sold and is being cleared. Development of the lot is anticipated in the near future. Town of Kentville community economic development co-ordinator Lindsay Young confirmed the sale in a July 11 interview but said that the town isn’t at liberty to divulge the identity of the buyer at this time.
She said the town has received an offer for two combined lots and representatives of a third business recently met with town staff to express interest in purchasing a lot.
“We’re continuing to share information with them as they make a decision,” Young said. “They have a couple of different lots they’re considering, I think.”
She said the business park has gone through a number of transitions over the years. Covering approximately 200 acres of land, it opened in 1979 and was originally owned, operated and managed by a commission.
The former Annapolis Valley Regional Industrial Park was later taken over by Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI). A report by the now-defunct Kings Regional Development Authority written several years ago identified the park as the prime area in the Valley for industrial development.
Young said town officials recognized a “great opportunity” to market the park. The town purchased approximately 40 acres of vacant land from NSBI in 2014 and has since sold 18 acres, leaving approximately 22 acres still available for development.
“We just thought that maybe we could give it a little more attention than it had been getting in previous years,” Young said.
The town not only saw an opportunity to purchase the land and manage it but also to provide greater support to the park’s existing businesses. She said town officials are working to raise awareness of businesses in the park and an informal working group made up of property owners has been established.
Young said the working group meets quarterly with town staff to discuss opportunities for the park or challenges and barriers that the businesses may be facing. Town staff members work with the owners to identify solutions.
“It’s just kind of an overall strategy for getting that park developed and helping it realize the potential that it has,” Young said.
The realtor that the land is listed with, DeVries Barnard and Associates, and town staff is working jointly to undertake an improved marketing strategy. Young said the realtor is producing an information video to help promote the available land, the infrastructure and how the town supports its businesses.
Robinsons Cannabis purchased 11.4 acres in 2017 and has since developed a medicinal marijuana production facility. Young said she believes that this development served as a sort of advertisement for the available land, as the development is visible from Highway 101 and received a lot of publicity.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Lots in the lower section of the park are available for $25,000 per acre.
- Lots with frontage on Highway 101 are listed for $45,000 per acre.
- A concept plan by Design Point shows suggested lot layouts but the land has not been subdivided, providing flexibility for future development.
- The town recently completed a new roadway, Rockwell Drive, to access the potential lots.
- The park is currently home to more than 40 different businesses. The town’s website states that the park is “widely considered the economic core for businesses of all sizes and types in Kentville and the surrounding valley.”
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