Sullivan County previewing major projects as power and utility constraints shape site readiness

Sullivan County economic development staff on Thursday gave a broad update on several projects expected to shape the county economy in 2026, while saying utilities and site infrastructure remain the largest obstacles to new investment.

“Groesinger’s is still doing their due diligence,” the county’s economic development lead said, reporting that the developer has engaged planning and engineering firms and that the project is expected to reach the planning board in early 2026. He said two prospective companies — one in manufacturing and one in food production — are preparing offers for the former PepsiCo site and that both could compete to take that shovel‑ready location.

Officials also said the FIMPO project’s environmental impact statement (EIS) is nearing completion and that a decision is expected before the end of the year. “We’re going into year four of that project,” the speaker said, calling FIMPO a “$43,000,000 project” that has undergone extensive study and interagency review.

Other projects cited during the update included the Center for Discovery’s planned construction in Rock Hill, the Prestige development on Route 17B that is already under construction, and a county‑obtained Road 17 infrastructure grant of $21 million that is now in the design phase.

County staff emphasized the advantage of having “preapproved” sites ready to market: they said the county currently lists roughly 4,000,000 square feet of preapproved locations ranging from about 40,000 square feet to 1,000,000 square feet. But they cautioned that delivering sufficient power, water and sewer to those parcels is costly.

“We are dealing with two entities right now that need a certain amount of equipment put in to be able to get the power they need,” the economic development lead said. He added that interconnection and equipment costs can be “astronomical,” prompting some prospects to consider on‑site alternatives such as solar and battery storage.

County officials also urged continued investment in broadband and airport infrastructure as marketing tools for site recruitment, noting recent runway and terminal investments and available hangar space that could matter to certain corporate prospects.

Next steps identified by staff include continued marketing of preapproved parcels, advancing the Road 17 design and construction schedule, and pursuing solutions — including potential private alternatives — to reduce upfront utility hookup costs for prospective employers.

The presentation did not include a formal motion or vote.