The City of Brewton received notification Wednesday that it had received preliminary approval from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a $2.8 million grant that will be used to secure the Provalus project, a project that will eventually add more than 300 direct jobs to the city’s economy.
Provalus, a software engineering and development firm based in Roswell, Ga., selected Brewton for its new facility last year.
The company has already hired more than 50 for its Brewton operations and is leasing commercial space in the downtown area while a permanent location can be built.
The EDA grant, coupled with approximately $3 million in other federal and state grants, will go toward not just the Provalus project, but also infrastructure improvements to the city’s water and sewer system.
Over the course of the project, the city received $1 million in funding commitments from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and Delta Regional Authority (DRA), $1.5 million in discretionary incentives from the office of Gov. Kay Ivey, and commitments from the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to aid the project’s completion.
The City of Brewton and Provalus also entered into a joint agreement to partner on construction costs.
Brewton Mayor Yancey “Yank” Lovelace praised the EDA and the city’s other grant partners for helping to defray the costs of the project and help the city bring jobs not usually found in a rural area to Brewton.
“On behalf of Brewton, I’d like to thank the EDA for this grant award,” Lovelace said. “Without the assistance of our friends at the local, state and federal levels, landing a project like this would have been a long shot at best. This is an example of what can be achieved by working together and having a vision for the future, even if there are challenges and growing pains along the way. We believe the Provalus project will change the face of Brewton and help secure our future for years to come.”
The build-out of the Provalus project will stretch over several months, if not a year or more, and will come in multiple phases. City and company leaders continue to work on construction plans and planning for other development.
Will Ruzic, executive director of Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance, said the project was already beginning to pay dividends across the region.
“This project has already been a benefit to the city of Brewton, and we’re seeing impact beyond just the city,” said Ruzic. “Provalus has employees from across the county, from Conecuh and Monroe counties and others as well. This is a good example of what regional cooperation can achieve, and the impact of this project will change lives across our entire area.”
