Mincey Marble is expected to end its 40-year history on Browns Bridge Road early next year, but will relocate to Gainesville Business Park by early 2018, the company's leader said Thursday.
The park is located off of Calvary Church Road. Mincey plans to build a 350,000 to 400,000 square foot building to house all of its operations, according to a media release from the company.
"We also plan to hire another 50 employees, bringing our total employees up to 350," company president and CEO Donna Mincey said in announcing the move to the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
The Hall County Board of Commissioners last October narrowly approved a request from the company to rezone an 11.68-acre tract of land across the highway from its current Browns Bridge Road headquarters. The move cleared the way for Mincey to construct a 100,000-square foot facility there.
The rezoning was one of the more contentious zoning issues the commission had considered in recent years, with residential neighbors packing meetings throughout the process in opposition to the company's plans.
Mincey, on Thursday, told business leaders that there were many factors in deciding to relocate, but one stood out.
"The primary reason is the recent changes in the national political climate and economic climate which has increased our growth forecast, suggesting that we're going to outgrow anything we can build on that Browns Bridge Road property," Mincey said. "There's just not enough room there for where we're going."
She called the rezoning effort a "painful but necessary process."
“Had we not gone through such a lengthy rezoning process, we would have come to our eventual decision much sooner,” she said.
"We're so grateful to everyone who supported our company, particularly during the recent rezoning. We're also happy for those who opposed us because today, we're confident with this announcement that our decision to relocate will make everyone happy," Mincey told Chamber board members.
Chamber Vice-president of Economic Development Tim Evans called the move a positive for the company and community.
"It's a win-win for Mincey and will have a positive economic development effect on jobs and throughout the business community," Evans said for a press release distributed Thursday afternoon.
Mincey said the good news for Hall County is that the manufacturer of cast marble bath products for commercial industry will remain.
"Our company and our jobs will stay here at home. As a lifelong member of this community, that was very important to me."
