CHARLESTON, S.C. (March 26, 2013) — Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C. is evaluating an industrial site in Charleston as the location of a distribution facility tied to the firm's plant under construction near Sumter, S.C.
The site under consideration is at the north end of the former Charleston Naval Shipyard, an area that's undergoing redevelopment, including some residential development on parcels adjacent to the targeted site.
The site being considered is roughly 20 acres in size and is described as vacant industrial land owned by the South Carolina Department of Commerce's Division of Public Railways, which recently asked the city to reclassify the property for heavy industry.
Conti's interest in the property came to light recently after officials with the commerce department disclosed that Continental is the company behind an economic development project known as "Project Crescent."
The tire maker confirmed its interest in the property, saying a warehouse in the Charleston area was part of the initial agreement with South Carolina regarding the Sumter plant.
The rezoning for the Charleston property has now gone through, Conti said, but there are still quite a few details to be worked out regarding the site. The facility really isn't needed until the Sumter plant is completed and producing tires, which should be late 2013/early 2014, Conti said.
The area operated as a U.S. Navy facility from the early 1900s through 1996, when it was leased to a private enterprise.