Charged Up and Looking Towards the Future

As featured in the March 2023 Edition of Site Selection Magazine , follow Thomas & Hutton's involvement with the Bryan County Megasite from the project's beginnings.?

In The Driver’s Seat To Economic Investment?

Before the ceremonial dirt shoveling and headlines plastered on every front page of the news, the journey from developing a Megasite to an industry titan announcing its presence in a community is one of modest beginnings. As engineering consultants, our work on a Megasite begins years beforehand. Thomas & Hutton started identifying the site and coordinating with property owners in 2006 and began due diligence and prepping the site for heavy marketing in 2014. In 2019, we performed due diligence and evaluations for the State of Georgia on three mega-sites for an auto manufacturing outfit of Hyundai’s prowess. When Hyundai selected the Bryan County Megasite as its future home, T&H seamlessly transitioned from economic development consultant to engineer, providing transportation access, wetland permitting, flood studies, mass grading plans, and water and sewer services. Our initial involvement in due diligence and site selection on a project of Hyundai’s size and scope affords us an intuitive understanding of the site. Leveraging our relationships and experience with the entities (Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, and Effingham) that make up the Savannah Harbor – Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority (JDA), Thomas & Hutton was aware of the existing resources and capacities each brought to the table to create the shared regional infrastructure needed to support Hyundai and associated enterprises.

From The Board Room To The Manufacturing Floor

As development begins, Thomas & Hutton serves as the leading project intermediary for the JDA and the state of Georgia. We coordinate with GDOT, water and sewer utilities, natural gas providers, and power companies. Due to our initial involvement in the due diligence process, we had a grading permit for work to begin immediately. A significant component of the site design is the water and sewer infrastructure. EV manufacturers require a considerable amount of water and sewer, creating the need for new systems to serve a high-demand facility. Through awareness of each County’s assets and intergovernmental skills, we tie together specific components and plan for the future of the entire JDA. Thomas & Hutton’s additional project involvement includes performing existing flood studies and upfront work for the GDOT’s road improvements for a new I-16 interchange and widening of U.S. 280.

As we begin our work on the Hyundai project, the EV boom has only just begun. This process affords Thomas & Hutton a keen insight into industry preferences for site layouts and structures and how to deliver a successful product for Hyundai and its subsidiaries in a highly technical, fast-paced environment. T&H has our batteries charged, and we are looking toward the future. Learn more at www.tandh.com.