Gov. celebrates Steelcase project, MLK Drive dedicated

By Kelly Kazek
kelly@athensnews-courier.com

December 02, 2008 09:25 am

— A rare snow shower swirled Monday morning as Gov. Bob Riley stepped from a black Suburban onto the dark, new pavement of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Riley, who’d flown to Limestone County’s Pryor Field for the 11 a.m. event, had come to Steelcase in Athens to celebrate the culmination of seven years of projects funded by state, federal and local governments that brought 230 new jobs to the office furniture manufacturer and a new road to Breeding Industrial Park, which was named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
“One of the reasons we’ve led the nation in economic development the last three years is because we understand existing industry is as important — or more important — than recruiting industry,” Riley said to a crowd huddled against freezing temperatures beneath a tent beside the new street on the Steelcase lawn.
The crowd included U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, who is retiring but spent his career as a Congressman fighting for jobs for North Alabamians, as well as State Sens. Tom Butler, D-Madison; and Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and state Reps. Henry White, D-Athens; Mac McCuthcheon, R-Capshaw; and Micky Hammon, R-Decatur. Local officials included Tom Hill, president of Limestone County Economic Development Agency; David Seibert, chairman of Limestone County Commission; Athens Mayor Dan Williams, county commissioners and city council members; Denver Betts and Hugh Ball of the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce; Chamber Ambassadors and Steelcase Manager Brenda Borkowsk.
Riley continued: “If you make a profit, you’ll expand, and if you expand, you’ll get to hire new people.”
He said 80 percent of new jobs in Alabama are created by existing industry.
The governor also commended the many agencies that worked together to help bring the new jobs to Steelcase.
Projects that expanded the local Steelcase plant began in 2001 when the corporation decided to consolidate some operations and planned to close either its Michigan plant or the local one. The local plant managed to win its arguments for staying open and another manufacturing line from the Michigan plant, along with necessary equipment, moved to Athens in 2003, Hill said. The State of Alabama committed $500,000 to help move the equipment.
With the new line established and 230 new jobs created, Steelcase made another request: improved roads.
“They needed Roy Long Road upgraded and another access to the plant,” Hill said. “The only access was Durham Drive. This would help Steelcase and other companies in the industrial park for employee and truck traffic.”
Previously, trucks and employees left the park via Durham Drive, then took Jefferson Street to U.S. 72 or Sanderfer Street to U.S. 31.
The mile-long stretch that was named Martin Luther King Jr. Drive leads from the park to Roy Long Road and on to U.S. 31.
The Alabama Department of Transportation helped fund the road, but the project took loner than anticipated, Hill said, which meant costs increased.
“The City of Athens committed to cost overruns of about $300,000,” Hill said.
The road also was the culmination of another project supported for the past few years by many local leaders and members of the black community — creation of a Martin Luther King Drive here. After initial plans to rename an existing street met with public resistance, the idea was set forth to name the industrial park road for the civil rights leader, which Riley said he thought was an ideal blend because King supported creating opportunities for people which also is the goal of the park.
The Rev. Willie Byrd of Grace Missionary Baptist Church gave a brief speech dedicating the road, saying he felt the need for tolling bells at Athens’ act to honor King. Byrd asked the crowd to echo his words, concluding with exclamations of “Let freedom ring,” after which someone in the crowd tolled a cowbell.
The crowd then followed Riley to the beginning of the street, where he cut a blue ribbon to officially open the street.

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