Chamber initiative paves way for business retention, development

New employment opportunities and company relocations point to a healthy, growing economy for Northwest Houston.

However, several areas of the corridor continue to face economic hindrances such as its fragmented unincorporated status, lack of identity, and a decline in certain retail centers and developments, according to an economic development initiative by the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

The aim of the chamber's initiative, established Jan. 25, is to promote and highlight the region to be the first considered by business owners in regard to expansion or relocation, said Barbara Thomason, president of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

"We are looking to package our community so that we are more easily identified," she said. "We want to spotlight what is really great about our community. Economic development work is designed to increase wealth and jobs. If we are able to attract or retain business here, that means more families, more jobs and more rooftops."

Company relocations

In the last 18 months, at least three large companies have relocated to Cy-Fair. Although reasons for these moves abound, many companies have taken advantage of local and state incentives established for businesses that wish to relocate to the area.

These incentives are in place to support new, expanding or relocating companies in Northwest Houston and provide tax abatements, credits and exemptions, and additional funding, Thomason said. The availability of these benefits may account for the area's increase in development.

A resolution passed Aug. 13 by the Cy-Fair ISD board of trustees qualified a future site off Hwy. 290 for global manufacturing and technology company Emerson Process Management as a foreign trade zone. This incentive provides custom procedures for domestic companies engaged in international trade, allowing deferred duty payments on items until they are ready to sell on the U.S. market.

The company is planning to combine two of its facilities to form a new headquarters at Hwy. 290 and FM 1960, which is expected to be complete by next spring. The relocation is expected to add about 125 manufacturing and engineering jobs to the area.

In January 2011, Sysco opened a business service facility in the former Compaq building off Hwy. 290 and Skinner Road. Hiring is ongoing, and the location will employ more than 1,800 people in departments such as finance, accounting and call centers. About 450 Sysco employees work in the facility—340 of which are members of the business service team, said Charley Wilson, vice president of communications.

"We considered locations in several parts of the country," Wilson said. "The business climate and affordability of real estate [in Northwest Houston] met our needs. We plan to continue adding positions for work that will be performed at the [business service] facility."

In summer of 2013, leading independent energy company Noble Energy Inc.—which is engaged in worldwide oil and gas exploration and production—will relocate its corporate global headquarters to the former Hewlett-Packard building off Hwy. 249 and Jones Road. The 10-story, 497,000-square-foot structure and the adjacent lot were purchased for the relocation in May 2011.

"Providing our employees access to the latest office technologies and surrounding amenities they can be proud of and to be able to expand to a second building at this site were key considerations for Noble Energy," said Charles Davidson, chairman and chief executive officer.

Economic development

The chamber's EDI council will have its next meeting in October, and individual teams will meet quarterly to diagnose the changing scene of commercial business, Thomason said. The high level advisory group hopes to assist with the concerns and needs of businesses.

Since the EDI was formed, the chamber has implemented a strategic marketing plan to increase the area's attractiveness to prospective foreign and domestic property owners. Future goals include offering a business retention and expansion survey to larger, non-retail employers to determine and analyze growth challenges as part of the chamber's EDI.

The survey offers a preliminary interview to determine a business' primary services and products, locations and other basic information. From there, representatives from the chamber speak with chief executives to determine changes in the company's products, facilities and workforce, Thomason said. The company's level of satisfaction with community services such as utilities and the general trends in the area is also assessed.

"We use this information to identify gaps that we can fill," Thomason said. "If [the chamber] can be a part of this thought process, we may be able to help salvage a community corporate member. Our hope is that larger employers have an open door to us. We want their success."