BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – In its quarterly meeting Monday, May 7, the Fannin County Development Authority (FCDA) approved an application for for Georgia Cities Foundation Loan for a local property owner to acquire an additional 50 percent interest of a downtown building, according to Christie Arp, FCDA executive director.

“Georgia Cities Foundation funds downtown projects,” Arp explained, “and the Development Authority acts as a conduit and so money would flowing from Georgia Cities Foundation through the Development Authority to a person or business. And the Development Authority has done several in the past; it’s very common.”

Later, in her director’s report, Arp stated, “There continues to be a lot of interest in downtown Blue Ridge. There has been a lot of interest in people just looking for space outside of town. It varies in size, but there is a shortage of warehouse/industrial space in our area.”

Despite this, Arp added the county is seeing a good mix of retail, industrial and commercial interests and business prospects.

Giving an update on Ed’s Supply, which is a supplier of equipment, parts, and materials to businesses that recently agreed to a lease with FCDA for the speculative building near McCaysville, Arp reported the supplier is still in the construction process of finishing the inside of the building. Also, Arp stated she has personally received several resumes from job applicants for Ed’s Supply.

Arp also told of Gov. Nathan Deal’s stop in Blue Ridge last Wednesday, May 2, to sign the 2019 fiscal year budget for the state of Georgia, which included $5.5 million for a permanent, brick-and-mortar campus for the University of North Georgia Blue Ridge campus located off of state Route 515 near Industrial Park Road.

“We’re extremely excited about (the forthcoming UNG campus),” Arp stated. “The Development Authority will continue to work with UNG about different programming needs they might have and different ways that we can partner with them.”

 

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