1. There is NO universally-accepted set of ‘shovel ready/development ready’ site certification criteria. Every entity that offers ‘site certification’ for a fee develops and markets their own set of guidelines/checkboxes for you to follow.
2. There truly is no such thing as “Shovel Ready.” The name implies that someone can purchase a site today and start building tomorrow – and that simply cannot happen.
3. Commonality exists across all site certification programs. The simple truth is that for a site to be truly competitive, certain key aspects of the location should be fully documented.
4. All actions proposed under anyone’s site certification program, are aimed at one thing: minimizing risk
5. Engaging in the steps necessary to document one’s development readiness will consume significant resources: talent (your staff), time (yours and your staff) and of course, MONEY. Most communities who are serious about this process appropriate an annual dollar amount over several years to complete the work.
6. Sites that can prove their development readiness by documenting key aspects that greatly reduce developer risk are simply more attractive than those that cannot!

Site Readiness: Getting Your Dirt Ready for Show Time

In the site selection process, time is of the essence. Site consultants want assurances regarding the information being presented. This minimizes what many of them have experienced: A site, as presented, turns out NOT to be as ready as portrayed. You get one chance to make a good impression!

To learn more about site readiness, including the infrastructure, physical and technical site information that site selectors are looking for, contact us for a no-cost consultation.