Workforce

MANUFACTURING SITES

Several site options are available for new manufacturing firms locating in Sault Ste. Marie.  Two City-owned Industrial Parks with complete utilities and services have ready-to-build lots available. In addition, the EDC and the City are working on the development of several new rail-siding sites near a private deep water dock adjacent to the Sault Industrial Park. The future will see the development of a 200 acre parcel directly adjacent to the Sault Municipal Airport with prime parcels for development. These public holdings are supplemented by several private parcels that are appropriately zoned and suitable for development.

SAULT INDUSTRIAL PARK

Originally developed in 1973, the modern 64 acre Sault Industrial Park is the City's prime industrial location.  The Park is fully services with paved roads, curbs and gutter, sewers, water, natural gas, underground electricity and contemporary industrial park deed restrictions that insure a clean and pleasant manufacturing environment. 

The Park includes the 27,940 square foot Soo Industrial Incubator, a modern manufacturing facility that is available at extremely low lease rates to new start-up industries.  Labor training support from the EDC's partners at Michigan WORKS! and Lake Superior State University help new firms with their new labor force and needed technical assistance.

The Park is also the site for Foreign Trade Zone #16, a unique federal incentive program that can be extremely beneficial to firms with a foreign source of raw material or components. Sub-zones can created throughout the City as well as the entire Eastern Upper Peninsula and northern lower Michigan from the zone.

The Park is within a half-mile of an I-75 freeway interchange with direct non-stop access to Detroit and beyond, and within a half-mile of the International Bridge to Canada. The Park has a strategic location with water, rail, airport and freeway transportation systems all within a mile of the Park.

SAULT AIR INDUSTRIAL PARK

The continued growth of light manufacturing and research firms in Sault Ste. Marie has been the catalyst for the design and implementation of a unique Air Industrial Park in the heart of the City. The EDC, in its capacity as the City's Tax Increment Financing Authority, has developed what was once a 500 acre parcel with a deteriorating 4,700 foot runway in the center, into a thriving 5,200 foot Business-class jet port with an adjacent 80 acre Air Industrial Park.  The aviation area has been re-defined to a site of about 100 acres, allowing the development of the adjacent Industrial Park, additional commercial property on the bust I-75 Business Spur, and (soon) the development of a 200 acre parcel on the southwest side of the runway into additional industrial, commercial and housing sites.

             

THE CANNELTON RAIL PROPERTY

The City anticipates that a pending land exchange with the owners of a 100-acre waterfront parcel in proximity to the Sault Industrial Park that has just been cleaned up under the guidance of the Federal Superfund program will open up the potential of the creation of 4 new industrial sites with rail-siding access. In conjunction with a private deep-water dock, this upriver area is the perfect location for the development of multi-modal manufacturing. 

             

SOO INDUSTRIAL INCUBATOR

"The project is an example of how a community-oriented institution of higher learning can be of a benefit to its surrounding area..." -New York Times, December 17, 1972

History

Established in 1972, the Soo Industrial Incubator was revolutionary concept when it was first established. As one of the first Industrial Incubators in the nation, the partnership with Lake Superior State College (now University) introduced a number of innovations in providing a superior total package assistance program to help new industry locate and achieve success in the community. The aim of the Incubator is to reduce risk, both for the investor and the community; to provide concentrated assistance, both technical and financial at the start when it is most needed; and reduce the amount of start-up capital that is usually required. The Incubator has been providing these advantages for over 35 years to new firms who have started in the building and incubated into their own facilities in the community.

The Incubator

The Incubator offers the use of a especially-built industrial facility which is fully operational and functional. Lease costs are nominal. some sharing of start-up costs is provided, and no long-term commitment is required. All this means that a new industry can move into the Incubator Building on a tryout basis to see if it can succeed.  And because of flexible, easy-to-move inner partitions in the Incubator Building, new industry can arrange to use only as much of the building as it needs to get started. As the firm grows and is successful, the leased space can grow as well.

Building Information

Located at 1301 West Easterday Avenue on 3.7 acre site, the Incubator Building is steel frame construction, and holds 23,040 square feet of manufacturing space (120' x 192') and 4,900 square feet of office space (175' x 28'). The factory area has 16 and 1/2 foot ceiling clearance. 60' x 24' clear span areas, and movable inner partitions.  The floor is five inch reinforced concrete (thicker in certain areas) with 1,500 pounds per square inch loading capacity.  Roof live load is 40 pounds per square foot, flat buildup with interior drains and 4" foil covered batten. The building is fully sprinkled.

Electric power service is provided with 120-209 volt 4 wire 3 phase amp switch on the east side of building along with 277-480 volt 4 wire 3 phase amp switch on the west side of building. Edison Sault Electric Company provides service with among the lowest rates in Michigan.  Natural Gas is provided by DTE ENergy with an 18" main.  City water is through a 20" main and City sewer from a 12" main.

The building has face brick on wall surfaces in the administration and office area, the other exterior walls are 26-gauge steel ribbed panels, insulated. The factory area is heated with overhead gas unit heaters, and hot water radiant in office. The building has three 12' x 12' overhead doors. In addition to modern landscaping, the building has a 36,000 square foot bituminous paved parking lot. The office area was completely air-conditioned in 2006 and 2007.

Industrial Incubator Operating Procedures and Policies

The Industrial Incubator exists for the purpose of providing space for new and expanding firms to be able easily establish manufacturing or research operations with a minimum of risks, a reduction of overhead and start-up costs, with no long term commitment, and develop sufficient success so that the firm is able to "incubate" out of the building and into its own facility.

In order to help best assure success, the EDC provides for company screening prior to occupancy.  The conditions and terms of occupancy in the Incubator provide for clear understanding of the arrangements. 

Current Industrial Incubator lease rates for manufacturers:

              Factory area:  $2.60 per square foot [net 3)

              Office space:  $3.85 per square foot (utilities included)