MORGANTON, NC — Burke County and Burke Development Inc. (BDI) have reached a significant milestone in the community’s Industrial Shell Building Project with the opening of competitive bids from eight (8) pre-qualified general contractors. Based on the bid tabulation, Mathews Construction is the low bidder with a base bid of $9,231,000.
The bid opening underscores strong market interest in the project, which is designed to accelerate job creation and private investment by delivering a modern, “move-in-ready” facility at the Burke Business Park off Kathy Road in Morganton. The project is being advanced in partnership with Burke Development, Inc. (BDI) and supported by state economic development funding.
“Economic development is a highly competitive industry, and most companies want an existing building to reduce risk and move quickly,” said Jeff Brittain, Chairman of the Burke County Board of Commissioners. “Today’s strong bid response is an important step toward giving Burke County the tools to compete for high-quality jobs.”
Project scope and background
· Location: Burke Business Park (Kathy Road), Morganton, NC
· Program: Class A speculative industrial shell building
· Size: ~100,000 sq. ft. initial footprint with a pre-graded pad for up to 85,000 sq. ft. of future expansion
· Height/Structure: 32-foot clear heights; precast insulated wall panels for efficiency and flexibility
· Purpose: Recruit advanced manufacturing and logistics users; expand local tax base and employment opportunities
· Funding: Supported by state economic development appropriations providing temporary spending flexibility for a shell building program at Burke Business Park, with proceeds from the building’s sale recommended by General Assembly grant terms.
With design completed earlier this year, the bid phase marks the transition into construction procurement. Upon approval and execution of contracts, construction is anticipated to proceed on a schedule targeting completion in Q2 2026.
“This investment is more than just a building—it’s infrastructure that can catalyze long-term growth for Burke County,” said Joel Welch, BDI Chairman. “Delivering a high-quality shell building positions us to meet current market demand and attract new jobs.”
About Burke Business Park
The Burke Business Park is a materially developed, 83-acre industrial park featuring on-site water, sewer, electricity, and natural gas, within a half-mile proximity to I-40, and with ElectriCities Smart Site certification. The park also hosts a privately held 500,000 sq. ft. distribution facility.