As promised last week, we begin with a look at commercial and industrial development projects moving forward in other Ohio communities. The list follows our recent series examining Galion’s serious need for new development to broaden its utility customer base and reduce the burden that rising utility costs and substantial debt repayment could place on existing residents and businesses — something which is already beginning to have an impact. Although the projects vary widely, many share a critical ingredient: cooperation among private investors and public or community partners, including local governments, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, port authorities, community development corporations, design review and historic preservation boards, and others working to turn plans into tangible investment.
Links are provided for additional information.
The question to ask is this — Why not Galion?
Commercial and industrial development projects
- Harrison Town Center — The $60 million Target-anchored retail development is projected to house approximately 20 businesses and create more than 550 jobs.
- Tipp City Uptown District — Tipp City purchased 60.5 acres for approximately $2.2 million after acquiring Tipp Plaza for nearly $7 million, positioning the corridor for new retail and a possible grocery store.
- Celina Growing Acres speculative building — A 50,000-square-foot speculative industrial building was constructed to attract manufacturers and can be expanded to as much as 300,000 square feet.
- Van Wert Intraplás plant — The packaging manufacturer committed approximately €40 million to its first American production plant, projected to create more than 50 jobs.
- Coshocton Conesville Industrial Park — The former Conesville power-plant property is being repositioned as a 2,500-acre industrial site with rail, road, heavy-utility infrastructure and more than 500 developable acres.
- Franklin Modula expansion — Modula is investing more than $36 million in a 170,000-square-foot expansion expected to double production capacity and create about 60 jobs.
- Urbana Weidmann expansion — Weidmann announced a $155 million Ohio investment that includes increased production at its Urbana operation and a new Middletown facility, with 105 jobs expected statewide.
- Circleville Sofidel expansion — The tissue-paper manufacturer invested $185 million to expand its Circleville plant and increase its production capacity by 50 percent.
- Lexington park and trails expansion
- Sidney Burr Oak development — The $200 million mixed-use development combines hundreds of new homes with medical facilities and extensive commercial acreage attracting tenants including Sheetz and McDonald’s.
- Piqua Center redevelopment — About $4 million has been invested in transforming the former Miami Valley Centre Mall into a mixed-use center with restaurants, entertainment, retail, business-incubator and e-commerce space.
- Sandusky Battery Park Marina development — The $229 million waterfront project is converting a long-underused site into a major mixed-use destination featuring housing, hotels, restaurants and retail space.
Adaptive re-use projects
- Mansfield Downtown Forward — The first phase will rehabilitate 14 historic downtown buildings and create 102 residential units, supported by $5 million in state historic tax credits.
- Shelby restaurant and boutique hotel — A former First National Bank building at 58–60 West Main Street is slated to become an upscale Italian restaurant and boutique hotel.
- Marion Lydia Lofts — An early 20th-century downtown building was converted into modern residential lofts and short-term rental accommodations while retaining its historic character.
- Mount Vernon Founders Food Hall — The former Mount Vernon News building was transformed into a food hall, offices and university engineering and technology facilities with help from a $1 million JobsOhio grant.
- Tiffin former Gibson Hotel — Twenty-six local investors are backing a nearly $10 million conversion of the 1874 Gibson Hotel into a downtown boutique hotel.
- The Ashland Theatre — The long-vacant Schine’s Theatre reopened in 2023 following a $4.1 million capital campaign and $1.3 million from state capital-budget allocations.
- Fostoria Foster Block — Work on the prominent downtown commercial block began with exterior improvements and interior cleanup intended to stabilize the building and prepare it for modern tenants.
- Bellefontaine Opera Block — The 1880 Opera Block was redeveloped as a mixed-use center for retail, offices, coworking and small-business activity.
- Van Wert Forward Phase Two — The $19 million second phase is rehabilitating four downtown properties to provide 15 apartments and eight commercial spaces.
- Urbana Willman Building — A $2.9 million rehabilitation converted the former furniture store into nine loft apartments and The 211 coworking center.
- The Coshocton Collaborative — More than $6.2 million transformed the former Chacos Brothers building and Pastime Theater property into coworking, maker and business-incubator space.
- Cambridge Midtown Market — A project exceeding $1.4 million is converting a 104-year-old downtown building into a market, dining and coworking destination.
- Greenville former Bradford Bank — Developers plan to convert the former bank into a Tuscan-style Italian restaurant and a boutique hotel with six to eight rooms.
- Ironton Ro-Na Cultural Center — The continuing restoration envisions an expanded stage, professional kitchen, rehearsal areas and additional office and storage space in the historic theater.
We will be sharing updates on interesting and innovative projects over the next few weeks in a new series entitled, “This Could be Galion.”