Tucker Summit CID October 2020 Newsletter

Georgia Piedmont Technical College Trains Future TSCID Labor with Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) is nearing completion of its inaugural cohort in its Pre-Apprenticeship Industrial Maintenance Program, which began July 27, 2020. Representing DeKalb, Rockdale, Newton and Walton Counties, the 12 students currently enrolled in the 15-week online program will earn certifications in Fork Lift Safety, OSHA 10 and CPR, while also earning micro-credentials in electrical fabrication, math measurements, mechanical fabrication and blue print reading.

Seven companies attended the September meet and greet and are ready to hire these students for entry-level or apprenticeship positions upon completion of the GPTC program.

The next GPTC apprenticeship program for Mechatronics (mechanical and robotic operations) is scheduled to begin in November while the second Industrial Maintenance cohort is scheduled to begin in February 2021.

TSCID members in need of certified and skilled labor are encouraged to reach out to Irvin Clark, GPTC’s Vice President of Economic Development.

Tucker’s Offers CARES Act Funds

Applications Available October 19-26

The City of Tucker received more than $4.1 million in federal CARES money via DeKalb County to help residents and business owners survive the pandemic. To achieve this, the City of Tucker has allocated funds for small business grants, food distribution, rent and utility relief as well as distance learning.

Partnering with local nonprofit NETWorks Cooperative Ministries, as well as several local churches, the City of Tucker is determined to help its people through this crisis.

Learn more about the Tucker CARES act funds and how to apply on the City of Tucker website.

City of Tucker COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant Survey

In light of receiving funding to create a Small Business Relief Grant, the City of Tucker is requesting assistance from small business owners in understanding the effect of changing business conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic on your business. Please complete this short eight question survey. Your response is important in driving local relief efforts. Thank you!

Take the survey now.

Congratulations to FODAC,

Tucker’s 2020 Mayor’s Business Award Recipient

Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) has been awarded the 2020 Tucker Mayor’s Business Award for its outstanding work in supplying refurbished medical equipment to people with disabilities and their caregivers. CEO Chris Brand became familiar with FODAC as a teen when he met founder Ed Butchart, who was helping provide critical equipment to Brand’s childhood best friend at the time. Learn more about Brand and his work with FODAC in this Atlanta Journal-Constitution story.

City of Tucker Mayor Frank Auman began awarding businesses for their achievements and contributions to the Tucker area in 2018.

FODAC recently held a charity golf tournament in early October raising $44,000 for the organization. Funds raised will provide approximately 310 mobility items to people with disabilities in the Tucker Summit district and surrounding community. Items include wheelchairs, walkers and pediatric items such as standers and walkers. Congratulations to ER Snell who came in first place out of the 90 tournament participants.

Georgia Furniture Mart Hosts,

Blind Spots: Exploring Unconscious Bias Roundtable

Originally scheduled for October 6, the second Georgia Furniture Mart Roundtable has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 20. Owner Mike Hall will speak with Carly Williams, National Talent Identification Leader and former Price Waterhouse Coopers U.S. Diversity & Inclusion Recruiting Leader about the potential bias in business interactions and decisions.

The virtual roundtable will take place at 11 a.m. via Zoom. Please register here to participate in the discussion.

Blackstone’s Ken Caplan Predicts Distress Deals

TSCID’s largest property owner, Blackstone, predicts that distress deals coming out of the recession are imminent but won’t unfold overnight. Ken Caplan, Blackstone’s Global co-head of Real Estate participated in a Bisnow webinar last month where he said, “I’m highly confident, given what we’re seeing and what our pipeline is now, that we’re going to see a lot of opportunities to invest across the real estate space, particularly in these areas that have been more disrupted and where there are more questions about.”

He also noted opportunities in the retail and hospitality sectors, as those industries suffered particular damage — though not uniformly.

Watch the Bisnow webinar here or read more about Caplan’s statements in this article.

The Wall Street Journal’s Logistics Report:

Trade Flows Rebounding; Uncanny Supply Shortages

PHOTO: TORU HANAI/BLOOMBERG NEWS

After a historic drop due to the coronavirus pandemic, the global trade flows are showing signs of recovery. After a 12.5% drop from the first quarter, container shipping numbers are slowly emerging back into positive territory with a sharp rise in July to near pre-pandemic levels from early 2020.

Consumer electronics and appliances are currently in short supply and companies like Best Buy are struggling to match the supply chain’s growing market demand with tripled second-quarter sales ending August 1. To compensate, the retailer will include online fulfillment in its brick and mortar stores through a “ship from store hub” model, which will also include same-day and next-day delivery.

The Wall Street Journal produces a bi-weekly Logistics Report which would be beneficial for many of our members to review.

Learn more in this Wall Street Journal Logistics Report.

TSCID Project Updates

Freight Cluster Plan Update

The TSCID Freight Cluster Plan Steering Committee met mid-September to discuss the status of the Freight Cluster Plan studies and proposed initiatives. Projects already under development include:

Installation of a narrow median on Mountain Industrial Boulevard from Elmdale Drive to Greer Circle
Signalization upgrades at Mountain Industrial Boulevard and US-78
US-78 ramp modification at Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Addition of northbound and southbound turn lanes at Hugh Howell Road and Mountain Industrial Boulevard
New signalization to accommodate the new school/development at Hugh Howell Road and Flintstone Drive

Future and long term improvements under consideration include:

Widening Mountain Industrial Boulevard to six lanes
Median extension to the Gwinnett County Line
Tuckerstone intersection relocation
Roundabouts on the northern sections of Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Enhancing connections to Gwinnett County Transit
Identify potential sites for truck parking
Promoting training programs with local educational institutions

To review the Freight Cluster Plan reports, documents and presentations, please visit the TSCID website.

Thank You Southern Lawn Care & Landscape

We appreciate the work Southern Lawn Care & Landscape puts into keeping our district looking clean and beautiful! The fall colors are looking incredible on Mountain Industrial Boulevard!

Mountain Industrial Boulevard and Jimmy Carter Boulevard “Incredible Corridor”

We are excited to be part of a collaborative study along the Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Mountain Industrial Boulevard corridor! The community is invited to visit www.planningatpond.com/jcbmib to learn more about the project and to provide input on the corridor from Peachtree Industrial Boulevard to E Ponce de Leon Avenue.

TSCID October 2020 Newsletter