Cornyn: Southeast, Central Texas to Receive $51M in Federal Grants for Hurricane Harvey Recovery

This EDA investment supports a rural workforce partnership through the development of strategic alliances between industry partners and local economic development organizations through the Prairie View, A&M University, and Langetree collaborate venture in a designated Opportunity Zone in Waller County, Texas. The project will help the region recover from the destruction of Hurricane Harvey by creating economic resiliency in the Gulf Coast region, that will support job creation and attract skilled workers to strengthen the local economy.

This EDA investment funds construction of a new emergency shelter and community center in Bastrop County, Texas. The project will help recovery efforts since the destruction of Hurricane Harvey and serve as a multipurpose assembly area to provide additional office space for Bastrop County Long Term Recover Team. In addition, the new facility will allow training space for Texas A&M AgriLife to implement its workforce development and technical assistance program, which will spur economic growth throughout the region.

This EDA investment funds renovations of the Customs House building owned by the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. The project will allow the city to recover from the devastations of Hurricane Harvey, promote economic growth and diversification with a variety of emerging and start-up business, and serve as the centralized hub for business development. Once complete, the project will support resiliency against future natural disasters, create jobs, and spur private investments throughout the region. 12 jobs created, 13 jobs saved, and $1 million in private investment leveraged.

This EDA investment funds a new Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to assist businesses in disaster impacted areas with working capital, equipment, and inventory replacement needs in Victoria County, Texas. The project will help support small business owners, create jobs, and strengthen the regional economy. 113 jobs created, 122 jobs saved, and $3.578 million in private investment leveraged.

This EDA investment funds construction of the SER Training Center in a designated Opportunity Zone in Harris County, Texas, to address workforce training needs in emerging and expanding industries in telecommunications, transportation, energy, construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure throughout the region. This project will support economic diversification, build resiliency from future natural disaster events, support private capital investment, and create jobs. 6,000 jobs created.

This EDA investment funds the construction of critical roadway infrastructure improvements to Junior Beck Drive, a major roadway in a designated Opportunity Zone in Corpus Christi, Texas. The project will help expand roadway infrastructure to provide better access to a city-owned industrial park, which will attract industrial development, create new job opportunities, enhance and diversify the marketability of the economy, and support the city’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the impacts of Hurricane Harvey. 630 jobs created.

This EDA investment funds the renovation of a 23,000 square foot facility and the construction of a free-standing building needed to support commercial drivers training on the campus of Lamar State College in Port Arthur, Texas, an area in a designated Opportunity Zone hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. By expanding classroom, laboratory, and storage space, the project will help fill the critical need for more licensed truck drivers throughout the region. Once complete, the project will create sustainable jobs in the oil and gas industries, promote resiliency, and strengthen the region’s export capacity. 167 jobs created.

This EDA investment supports the City of La Grange with expanding a sanitary sewer line infrastructure outside of its existing floodplain-riddled commercial district, and into the commercial corridor along West State Highway 71 Bypass and Airport Road in Fayette, Texas. The project will help the city become more resilient after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, and once completed it will lead to industry expansion, job creation and regional economic growth. 40 jobs created.

This EDA investment funds the establishment of the Common Market Texas regional facility for resilient food systems, which will serve as a Houston food distribution facility. The project will support recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey by providing food access programs in the communities that are still recovering, which will provide long-term economic stability.

This EDA investment funds infrastructure improvements, including the construction of a utility extension, road expansion, and signal installation, to serve the Gulf Inland Logistics Park, which was impacted by Hurricane Harvey in Liberty County, Texas. Once completed, the project will support resiliency for future disasters, long-term economic growth, business development, and create new jobs throughout the region. 5,000 jobs created and $137 million in private investment leveraged.

This EDA investment funds the design and construction of a relocated wastewater treatment plant to provide critical support for new and existing industrial customers in an Opportunity Zone in Orange County, Texas. In an area flooded by Hurricane Harvey, the infrastructure project will increase business resiliency and mitgate the effects of future natural disasters, which will create jobs, attract private investment, and drive economic growth. 520 jobs created and $5.8 billion in private investment leveraged.

This EDA investment funds the construction of harbor and channel infrastructure to mitigate damage from Hurricane Harvey by accommodating deeper draft vessels in Seadrift, Texas, a designated Opportunity Zone. By building a bulkhead, a jetty, and dredging the channel, the project helps retain and increase vessel traffic and promotes resiliency in the face of future natural disasters. Once complete, the project will strengthen the regional economy, support private investment, and create jobs. 40 jobs created and 90 jobs saved.

This EDA investment funds the renovations of a facility to serve as a community fabrication space and incubator hub featuring workforce training and apprenticeship programs in Harris County, Texas, a designated Opportunity Zone. The East End Innovations and Maker Hub mega site will provide an alternative work facility in response to the flooding devastations of Hurricane Harvey. Once complete, the project will help strengthen the regional economy, increase resiliency against future disaster, encourage private capital investment, and create jobs. 475 jobs created and $70 million in private investment leveraged.

This EDA investment supports the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation with renovating its existing infrastructure to create the Fifth Ward Technology Center, which will serve as a multi-tenant office space in Harris County, Texas. The new and improved facility will support the region in recovering from Hurricane Harvey and provide a cost-effective space, which will support entrepreneurs and small businesses in a designated Opportunity Zone. Once completed, the project will provide an affordable business incubator, which will help create jobs and improve the regional economy. 500 jobs created and $25 million in private investment leveraged.

This EDA investment funds renovations to rebuild Deweyville Road, which was damaged by Hurricane Harvey, to make it more resilient to future weather events. The road serves as the main relief evacuation route within Newtown County, Texas, a designated Opportunity Zone. The re-engineering of drainage along the road will help the region become more resilient to future natural disasters, which will provide economic stability to strengthen the regional economy. 11 jobs created, 16 jobs saved, and $5 million in private investment leveraged.