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Durant Industrial Authority approves land sale to Steel Fab to support expansion
Summary
The Durant Industrial Authority authorized sale of land and directed staff to develop deal points to support a proposed Steel Fab expansion that officials say could add up to 70–100 jobs and trigger state and federal infrastructure grant support.
The Durant Industrial Authority on Tuesday authorized the sale of land to Steel Fab and directed the executive director to develop deal points for the agreement.
The vote came after a presentation by David Garrett, identified as Texas president of Steel Fab, who said the company seeks about 20 acres adjacent to existing facilities “to expand the current location” and would add manufacturing capacity. Garrett said the expansion could create “another 70 to 100 jobs” and involve a capital investment “somewhere between a 10 and $15,000,000.”
Authority members emphasized public-private partnership supports already in place. Kathy, the authority’s executive director, told trustees that the Oklahoma Department of Commerce has “already established a baseline incentive for the building expansion,” and that the project would qualify for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) economic development infrastructure award of $35,000 per job created “up to $1,000,000 for that infrastructure for that road.”
Trustees voted unanimously to authorize the land sale and to allow the executive director to develop deal points, signaling formal local support as Commerce, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and the Oklahoma Finance Authority are engaged with the project. Chairman Rogers thanked the partners and said the vote demonstrates the authority’s backing of the expansion.
The expansion request described constraints at the current site: Garrett told trustees the company already employs about 160 people and lacks on-site storage to stack steel, saying the new acreage would allow Steel Fab to “double our capacity” by adding two buildings and more equipment. He estimated grading and site preparation at roughly $100,000 per acre.
Trustees did not specify final sale price, conditions, or a timeline for closing; the motion authorized staff to draft deal points and return with details. The authority also noted that access improvements to the parcel would likely be necessary and eligible for the cited infrastructure grant.
The board voted on the authorization in executive session and then returned to open session to make the public motion and vote.
Trustees said they expect to continue negotiating with Steel Fab and with city and state partners to align incentives and infrastructure work.
