You all have a keen eye for dirt. The moving of dirt. The piling up of dirt. If dirt on commercial property in Bulloch County is “altered”, I get a phone call – “what is happening, we see dirt.”

I am here today to report on the latest “dirt” question. What are they doing in the Market District just behind the lot that is owned by the First Southern Bank at the corner of Brampton Avenue and Fair Road? The dirt in question is piled up on an 11 acre tract being marketed for sale by the Market District development group.  The tract is behind McDonald’s and First Southern’s lot and runs along Brampton Avenue.

            I asked a member of the Market District development group, local developer Andy Burns, the “mayor” of the Market District, what is happening.

            As Burns does so often, he answered my question with a hearty chuckle finding humor in what I had asked.

            “You wouldn’t believe how many people have asked me what we are doing, and particularly, what is the dirt for, are we preparing to build something,” Burns said. “We are just doing site work to prepare the land to sell.”

            Burns said they are filling in a ditch along the edge of the property. “We tried to sell it as waterfront property, but that didn’t work, so we are filling in the ditch and sprucing things up a bit.”

            Burns also said that the 1.2 acre corner lot on Brampton and Bermuda Run had been sold and that he expects an office building to be built there.

            I asked Burns how he thinks the 11 acre tract will be developed. “I really don’t know,” he said. “I think it is a wonderful location for retail and a grocery store, but it will be up to whoever buys it.”

            Rest assured, the mayor of the Market District, with a twinkle in his eye, will make sure that whatever is built there meets the standards and covenants of the development.

            A quick side note on next week’s column. Many of you may have already heard about Statesboro Crossing, the retail development slated to go in at the corner of Brannen Street and the Veteran’s Parkway (the Bypass). I will see what I can found out, and let you know.

            Until next week, I bid you au revoir.

            Got a scoop for Jan? Call her at (912) 489-9463 or e-mail her at jmoore@statesboroherald.net