How Does the Victor Valley Land Businesses?
Prime location, plenty of accessible real estate and affordability create an ideal business community in Victorville and the region.
Location, location, location. It’s what any business, from a two-person startup to a massive logistics facility, looks for.
And when it comes to being close to major transportation networks, affordable infrastructure, a pool of talented workers, educational facilities and more, the Victor Valley is the place to be.
The area, which includes the communities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia and Victorville, is within a 24-hour drive from the entire western U.S. That’s made it a longtime hub for all types of manufacturing.
These days, it’s also a draw for large-scale warehousing and logistics operations, thanks to plentiful and affordable land that’s buildout ready.
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Business Friendly
The region’s affordability extends to housing, which is why the Victor Valley has seen rapid growth in recent years. Some residents relocate to get out of the congested Los Angeles area; others simply want to be near the area’s many recreational activities.
Whatever the case, it’s led to a growing population of 450,000 residents and a job-ready workforce with a broad skill set for employers to tap into.
Speaking of resources to access, how about opportunity zones and opportunity funds. These business tools, which allow for the deferment or even elimination of federal taxes, can be deployed across Victor Valley’s communities.
There are specific targets for program access and participation, the primary ones being that the investments will spur growth and stimulate economic development in the specific communities where they are planned.
Other economic benefits to be found in the Victor Valley’s communities also include site selection and streamlined entitlement processes, as well as workforce development through the area’s robust educational infrastructure.
Looking for Land?
Companies looking to relocate to the Victor Valley are spoiled for choice, thanks to multiple shovel-ready development sites and existing business parks that are designed, or can be retrofitted, to cater to their specific needs.
Proximity to Major Markets
The Victor Valley’s accessibility to such markets as Las Vegas and Los Angeles is another huge plus for business development. It’s why the area has long been, and continues to be, a booming hub for a wider variety of warehousing and logistics enterprises. Operators here easily ship via rail and highway to major ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The Victor Valley has developed a reputation as a logistics hub, with retailers such as Big Lots and Walmart operating major distribution facilities in Apple Valley.
A key driver in logistics growth is the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), whose footprint covers 2,200 acres on the former George Air Force Base. The complex is a go-to location for flight testing, aircraft research and development, aircraft asset management, end-of-life cycle services and aircraft engine maintenance services by such well-known aviation companies as Boeing, GE Aviation and ComAv Technical Services.
SCLA master developer Stirling Capital Investments, which in August 2018 partnered with global logistics company ProLogis Investments for SCLA development, has completed more than 4.5 million square feet of Class A industrial warehouse and distribution facilities at the site.
Attracting New Investment
Despite the global pandemic and its economic disruption, the Victor Valley continued to attract business investment and create new jobs.
Stirling Capital in 2021 sold a 66,000-square-foot commercial facility at SCLA to Exquadrum Inc. which oversees a range of projects in the areas such as space launch vehicle design, propellant development, gas-generator design, propulsion system testing, test facility design, nonlethal munitions development and the development of systems to neutralize chemical and biological weapons.
Boeing is leasing more than 60,000 square feet in the SCLA, where it will complete machine tooling for its aircraft maintenance programs that had been done at its operations in Orange County.
Signature Industries Choose the Victor Valley
Imagine going to the airport and winding up in the background of a movie being filmed? It’s the sort of thing that happens a lot at SCLA, which has had a starring role in major blockbusters such as “Tenet” and “The Hulk” to smaller, indie productions, television shows (“Top Gear USA,” “JAG”) and commercials (State Farm Insurance, Southwest Airlines, Subaru).
And that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the SCLA’s actual “day job,” which is serving as a gateway to the western U.S. for the Victor Valley’s booming logistics and manufacturing sectors.
Victor Valley is where you’ll also find Scott Turbon Mixer, a manufacturer of stainless steel, high-shear mixers and complete turnkey mixing systems. The Adelanto-based manufacturer was founded by two local entrepreneurs, who experienced abundant success, and eventually sold the company to the Canadian-based Hayward Gordon.
It is joined by companies such as Clark Pacific, a leading manufacturer of prefabricated building systems. Facade solutions, parking structures and office buildings are created by Clark Pacific. From its state-of-the-art facility in San Bernardino County, the company utilizes the latest manufacturing technologies to complete major construction projects across the west coast.
Get to Know the Victor Valley
Want to learn more about living and working in Victorville, CA, and the Victor Valley? Check out the latest edition of Livability Victor Valley Economic Development.
