The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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February 22, 2013

Group begins speculative building at Fairview industrial park

By Robert Barron, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

FAIRVIEW, Okla. —  Business is good in Fairview. Downtown streets are busy, people are doing business and the economy has received a big boost from the oil boom.

But Major County Economic Development Association is not sitting still. The group has begun a speculative building at the town’s industrial park that officials hope to sell to a business.

“It’s kind of in the planning stages, a coordination between the city of Fairview and the economic development association, but we’re not there yet,” said JaNae Barnard, MCEDA staff member. “We’re moving forward and we hope to see some dirt moving in the next few weeks.”

The building will be 3,500 square feet and is intended to be a shop or warehouse with a small office. It is being built in the industrial park north of Fairview, near Davey and Bessie Martens Airport.

Although there has been some interest in such a building, Barnard said it still is somewhat of a speculative venture. Several businesses have indicated an interest in the building.

“We hope to get this one built, sold, and build another one,” she said. “If we get this one sold we plan to do another.”

The building would be sufficient for any type of light manufacturing, not just an oilfield business, Barnard said.

Major County Economic Development Association has been looking at the project for some time, but only approved it within the last few months, Barnard said.

“We’re always looking at that type of thing. We talked about it for quite a while,” Barnard said.

MCEDA previously built a speculative building in the industrial park, and it was sold and now owned by Power Max Equipment.

MCEDA has been in existence for many years and built Major County Business Incubator 10 years ago. It recently was recertified by Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Last year, the association sponsored a downtown storefront improvement project, awarding cash prizes to the winners: $5,000 went to first place, $3,000 to second, $2,000 to third and $500 prizes to two honorable mentions, she said.

That program was so successful, the association is doing it again this year. The contest is under way and will conclude in September. Barnard said there already are several entry applications.

“We’re trying to do that downtown for retail-wise improvements,” Barnard said.

She called Fairview an active and progressive town.

“Main Street always seems to be busy. We’ve had pipeline companies in here for the last eight to nine months, and they have brought numerous people in, plus manufacturing. Retail has been good,” Barnard said.

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