The former Shult/Oakwood Homes manufacturing facility in Navasota has collected dust for three years. But early next year, that will change. The facility is being turned into a 280,000 square ft industrial business park.

"Whenever, we can take a facility and rehab it and retrofit it to where it works for businesses it helps everybody, the tax base, job creation all the way across the board," said John Clark, project representative.

The facility, named SouthPoint Industrial Business Park, has already created a buzz.

"We've recently signed a lease with Vetco Gray, which is the world's leading supplier of oil field valves, GroundFORCE Building Systems will also occupy part of the space," said Clark.

With space already leased, SouthPoint is projected to generate 30 to 50 jobs in the near term. But once all the space is occupied, the employment opportunities are expected to multiply.

"Who knows could be hundreds of jobs," said Clark.

SouthPoint is the second major industrial park in the Brazos Valley created by investor Kenneth Neatherlin. His first project, NorthPoint Industrial Business Park, in Bryan has been pegged a major success.

"It provides a substantial infrastructure opportunity and has been such for a good period of time. The fact that they are an option, a real estate solution, gives us an advantage when prospects are looking at our community for various options," said Todd McDaniel, Research Valley Partnership.

This time around success is expected again, this time a little further south.

"Like anything it's risky, but we're going to work hard to make it another success," said Clark.