New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry last week recently unveiled his economic development priorities at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the County event.
The effort includes a new workforce study launching in partnership with the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce. The initiative will examine local labor market trends, identify skill gaps across industries, and guide investments in training programs that connect residents to high-demand careers in sectors like technology, life sciences, and clean energy.
Henry also announced the creation of the New Castle County Business Innovation Group, an advisory body that brings together leaders from business, education, and the nonprofit sector to provide recommendations on redevelopment, workforce development, corridor revitalization, infrastructure, and economic growth strategies. The group will convene formally in August and provide thoughtful, data-informed recommendations.
Additional initiatives include streamlining county processes, improving coordination with state and municipal agencies, and launching efforts to make it easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses to access capital, mentorship, and resources – particularly those historically left out of economic development conversations, a release stated.
Henry also mentioned his commitment to affordable housing. New Castle County is conducting a housing gap analysis to better understand where the greatest needs exist while also launching an initiative to identify surplus state, county, and municipal land that can be repurposed for housing.
“Quality of life is at the center of economic development,” Henry stated. “When we invest in housing, public safety, and recreational amenities, we make New Castle County a place where people want to live, businesses want to grow, and workers want to stay.”
Henry's plans reflect a continued emphasis on economic development under his predecessor, now Gov. Matt Meyer.
The county has seen a start and stop stance on economic development over the years with former County Executive Tom Gordon at one point downsizing such efforts, citing overdevelopment.
Gordon later revived those efforts as the economy softened and the county struggled with a "closed for business" reputation, driven by lengthy approval process. The state also shared the blame for difficulties in approvals for road and other infrastructure.
The state now has an infrastructure fund for projects with proper zoning, but still has not reduced approval timelines to the levels of other states.
Of late there has been pushback on the size of distribution centers. that led to the County Council adding restrictions on square footage and requirements for landscaping, although the door was left open for larger projects.
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