Drexel picks engineering firm for infrastructure upgrades as industrial site work nears end

Drexel leaders are taking the next step in preparing the town for future growth, selecting an engineering firm to guide major water and sewer upgrades as work on a 100-acre industrial site nears completion.

The town’s board unanimously approved hiring McGill Associates to help determine how best to invest millions in state-backed infrastructure funding, originally intended for a regional water interconnection project following Hurricane Helene.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality approved loans with principal forgiveness of up to $5 million for the interconnection project with Morganton, Drexel, and Valdese.

But with Valdese not receiving its portion of the funding, Drexel is now exploring how to redirect its share. That decision could shape the town’s infrastructure for decades.

The funds could target a number of projects, including water and sewer line extensions and replacements, pump station design and rehabilitation, water storage facilities and system upgrades, and more. The town would also have to request permission from the state to reallocate the funds.

In February, the town published a Request for Qualifications, and also received submissions from West Consultants and WithersRavenel, but decided to go with McGill due to the company’s familiarity with Drexel’s water and sewer system through its current Asset Inventory Assessment work and hydraulic models of the system.

The board also voted to allow Town Manager Bill Carroll to negotiate and execute contracts with the firm to push the process along as a completed engineering report and environmental information is due by mid-July.

Carroll said he expects to be able to start meeting with McGill within the next week or so.

INDUSTRIAL SITE UPDATE

The preparation of the 100-acre Drexel industrial site, which was once home to Drexel Furniture Company, is nearly finished, paving the way for one or two industries to come to the town.

Site work, including major cleanup and grading, was expected to be completed by the end of 2025 but is now almost finished. There’s still some final seeding and sewing left to be done with grass on the front of the property, according to Carroll. Otherwise, grading is complete.

“Those final stages always seem to drag on the longest,” Carroll said, adding that Duke Energy still has not removed utility poles on the site, but that contractors were able to make adjustments to the gravel road to get around them.

The plan is to complete the project even if the utility poles are not removed. Once Duke Energy removes them, grading in those areas will be simple, Carroll said, and the town’s staff can handle it.

“We’ll continue to press them and work with our partners to try to get the right people to make sure that gets put on the priority list,” Carroll said. “But in the meantime, it’s not influencing the timeline of finishing the project.”

At the end of the meeting, the board went into a closed session to discuss industry expansion. Alan Wood, who will soon retire as president and CEO of Burke Development Incorporated, and his replacement Brandon Ruppe, were both involved in the meeting.

Together, the infrastructure planning and industrial site development represent a coordinated effort to position Drexel for long-term economic growth.

Reliable water and sewer systems are critical to attracting industry, and town leaders now have both a near-ready site and a potential funding source to support the infrastructure needed to sustain it.

ALCOHOL SALES FOR EVENTS

As Drexel prepares for the Aces & Eights concert on May 30, town leaders have given Grow With Drexel permission to sell alcohol to attract more people to downtown events.

While the nonprofit still has to apply for a permit through the Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the plan is to sell beer and seltzers. Those who want a drink will need to show identification and there will be a drink limit, according to Grow With Drexel President Dan Hoyle.

While the group is still working out logistics, Hoyle said there will be a way to track how many drinks an individual purchases, whether through tickets or bracelets.

Carroll noted that the downtown park will be sectioned off with three entry points and Drexel police officers will be monitoring the event. Aces & Eights will have another concert on Oct. 17, but Hoyle noted that Grow With Drexel will have to receive permission from the board again, along with another ABC permit.