Solano County’s economic future looks bright for the coming year

Economic growth in Solano County is expected to remain favorable during 2007.

Top officials of the Solano Economic Development Corporation (EDC), made that prediction at the annual EDC meeting recently (Jan. 25).

EDC President Michael Ammann told the audience of some 300 business and government leaders: “We have taken care of business here,” and shared some of the key economic development projects that are underway in the county’s seven cities.

Brooks Pedder, EDC board chair, also voiced optimism about the coming year. He said that the development of the county’s business parks has accelerated in the past 90 days “…with 3 million square feet in transactions.”

Pedder said that that the Solano County business park market has about 24 million square feet. Those 90-day figures translate a 10 percent market turnover.

The chairman said there is no indication that business park activities will slow this year in Solano County.

Ammann said the partnerships, collaborations of networking efforts that are fostered through the Solano Economic Development Corporation have been the “glue” to mold a strong marketing effort for the county.

During the meeting, Ammann showcased many of the county’s economic development projects including:
--Groundbreaking in Suisun City for the waterfront development centerpiece, Harbor Square. It will add 34,000 square feet of retail, residential, restaurant and office space.
--Construction for the new Kaiser Permanente $1 billion-plus development in Vacaville. Included will be a 430,000 square foot office complex campus.
--Expansion of Touro University, Sutter Solano Cancer Center and Kaiser in Vallejo.
--Construction of two hotels and office condo, and expansions in the Green Valley Corporate Park in Fairfield.
--Completion of annexation of the former Army Reserve Center in Rio Vista, leading to the planned creation of a 10-acre research center.
--Opening of Phase One of the Nut Tree development in Vacaville.
--Development of the Dixon retail parks and construction of a new high school in Dixon.
--$20 million worth of investment and expansion in the Benicia Industrial Park.