Megasite postmortem

Former Greensboro Mayor Jim Melvin, a key player behind the megasite, says the next pitch is just a few phone calls and meetings away.

“I personally don’t (know what companies are looking for sites) and these kind of leads usually come through the state,” Melvin said. “Here again because of the intense work with the state … they’re as familiar with our site as we are so when somebody comes knocking on the governor’s door or the Department of Commerce they don’t need to call and say ‘Hey, can you guys put something together?'”

That work is already done, he said.

Now the big question obviously is the status of the water-sewer line that would be installed by the City of Greensboro. As of December, The design and the route are 95 percent complete, according to Greensboro Assistant City Manager David Parrish. But acquiring right of way is a whole new ballgame, given the strong, organized opposition:

The Northeast Randolph Property Owners Association, a citizens group that opposes the building of the megasite, has mailed fliers that say: “Imagine dozens of large electrical transmission towers running through your neighborhood.”

Alan Ferguson, a Greensboro attorney who is a property owner and the group’s leader, said his group will educate other residents about their rights when facing eminent domain.

“Those utilities have to run over many miles of land that are not owned by the (megasite foundation), not owned by the railroad, not owned by Guilford County — they’re owned by private land owners,” said Ferguson, whose specialty is real estate law. “Our job is to inform people they are not required to give up their land.”

Another former economic developer noted the “tight timeline” presented by Toyota-Mazda was problematic given the lack of utilities. With all this in mind, it makes you whether or not the megasite truly was in the running at all. Much slow, painful work still lies ahead, while the ever-shifting 21st century economy waits for no one.