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JDA details North River redevelopment, Coastal Georgia Commerce Park and project pipeline
Summary
JDA Executive Director James Coughlin told commissioners the authority took possession of the former Gilman Mill "North River" site in January, plans a conservation easement and phased land sales to cover outstanding debt, and is advancing the Coastal Georgia Commerce Park with grants, SPLAST funding and prospective large employers in active site-selection review.
James Coughlin, executive director of the Camden County Joint Development Authority, delivered the JDA's quarterly update to the commission on June 16, describing the authority's work on several large redevelopment and industrial-site projects.
North River (former Gilman Mill): Coughlin said the JDA resolved a developer default and bankruptcy and took possession of most of the property on Jan. 13, 2026 (excluding landfill areas and salt marsh which remain the developer's responsibility). He said the outstanding debt on the site is about $8.6 million and that the JDA intends to place a conservation easement (expected to raise approximately $2.5 million) and sell peripheral parcels and waterfront acreage with a global broker to fund debt-service payments and future site cleanup. He noted two annual payments are due March 1 and Sept. 1 and that proceeds from sales and easement income will be applied to those obligations.
Coastal Georgia Commerce Park: Coughlin described a planned 1,400-acre mega site west of Highway 17, with the first 150 acres under JDA control. He said infrastructure work will include an access road, water and sewer bored under Highway 17 from Harriet's Bluff Road, rail improvements and utility extensions. Funding sources include a $2 million Georgia Rural Site Development Initiative grant for the access road, a $1 million federal site-improvement grant restricted to water and sewer, and SPLAST 9 funding allocated to the road and infrastructure; the JDA also issued a bond to acquire land and provide remaining infrastructure.
Project pipeline and recruitment: Coughlin summarized four active code-named prospects under state/site-consultant review: "Project Cobra" (defense manufacturer; ~150 jobs, $65M private capital), "Project Grace" (steel fabrication; ~110 jobs, $12M capex), "Project East" (~300 jobs, $300M) and "Project Storehouse" (100 acres; ~700 jobs; $1.325B capex estimate). He said confidentiality rules prevent disclosing company identities until later in the selection process and that the JDA has made first-cut evaluations on some projects.
Other updates: Coughlin described SPLOST 8/9 project lists (public safety radio, ambulances, court records, property acquisition, parks and road projects), the St. Marys Commerce Park repurposing and private investments already underway (CJ Water Products, Plug Power hydrogen facility expansion). He said residential growth projections include roughly 12,000 housing units between exits 1 and 7 over the next five years and urged continued interjurisdictional planning among counties, cities and the Kings Bay naval base.
Coughlin closed by inviting further commissioner engagement and noting that any developer agreements or incentives would be presented to the commission for approval when necessary.
