John Deere Breaks Ground for New Plant in Stonehouse Commerce Park

The John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division broke ground Tuesday for its new Vehicle Group plant at Stonehouse Commerce Park in the western end of James City County. The $30 million project, which was announced in April, will occupy approximately 300,000 square feet on 75 acres, and will employ 300 when it becomes fully operational. The people who work there will design, manufacture, and market the John Deere line of Gator¨ utility vehicles in conjunction with the existing manufacturing facility in Welland, Ontario, Canada. Construction will take about a year, with Summer, 2000 being targeted as the opening date.

Administrative staff people for the permanent facility are operating temporarily out of the Economic Development Authority's shell building in the same park. Dan Hoffman, factory manager, commented that he was pleased at how quickly and smoothly everything is going with the project. Because of its importance to the local economy, James City County is expediting regulatory review to assist in meeting or exceeding construction schedule target dates.

M.B. Kahn of Columbia, South Carolina, is serving as the general contractor for the project. The architectural firm is Carlisle Associates of Columbia, South Carolina. John Deere has used these two firms for its last two facilities.