JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation has launched a new online site selection tool to assist companies in their search for rail-served properties and communities competing for economic development projects.
The tool is the latest enhancement of the CSX Select Site program, which has helped dozens of manufacturers find appropriate sites for projects expected to generate $14 billion in capital investments and create nearly 11,000 jobs.
“The interactive Select Site tool is much more than a searchable property database,” Christina Bottomley, CSX vice president of real estate and industrial development, said in a statement on Thursday. “It includes comprehensive data and analysis of demographics; workforce characteristics; local and regional business details; wages; consumer spending; and key infrastructure information. The tool provides current and future rail customers with a centralized point of information where they can quickly identify vetted CSX rail-accessible locations to grow and create jobs.”
In March, CSX introduced four new levels of Select Site qualification — Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The four levels will help companies identify sites that best align with their needs.
Currently, 11 Platinum Select Sites are listed in the online tool, and CSX will soon announce the first round of Gold, Silver, and Bronze certified sites for inclusion.
Built through the GIS Planning industry-leading software interface ZoomProspector, the Select Site online tool captures the listings in an easy-to-navigate format for use by site selectors, community leaders, real estate agents, and businesses making location decisions. It supports site comparisons, 360-degree aerial tours and an interactive CSX route map that pinpoints Select Site properties. The free tool is also mobile-friendly and requires no account sign-up to access information.
The CSX Select Site program is a subset of CSX’s broader business development initiatives that launched in 2012 in partnership with Austin Consulting, a global leader in site development and identification. It was the first railroad-sponsored certification program to offer rigorous site due diligence and capture the essential factors needed to accommodate rail access. In addition to helping companies find the right location for new projects, the Select Site program provides a platform for state, regional and local economic development agencies and public officials to gain exposure for suitable development properties.
Interesting interactive tool! Currently there are no “platinum” sites on the CSX network east of Ohio and north of North Carolina. Maybe there will be lesser “Gold”, “Silver”, or “Bronze” sites as the database is managed.