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Eight Montgomery County municipalities have asked for nearly $1.7 million in taxpayer funds to boost business expansions they hope will create nearly 800 new jobs.
Among the requests for ED/GE (Economic Development/Government Equity) grants announced Friday by the county was one for $300,000 by Miami Township for “Project McGraw.”
(Jurisdictions often use code names when they don’t want to identify a business behind a proposal.)
The $1.4 million project would involve renovation of two existing office buildings in the Newmark Office Park. They formerly were occupied by LexisNexis and are now largely vacant, according to the application.
The Oberer Cos., a local real estate contractor, owns the buildings and would lease one at 3475 Newmark Drive to an unnamed military contractor with offices in Beavercreek Township that plans to consolidate its local office and its California division at the site.
The renovation of the building would include updating outdated office space, combining the currently subdivided building and creating a small manufacturing and assembly space.
The company’s relocation is expected to bring 57 new positions to the area over the next year, and 100 new jobs over a three-to-five year period with average salaries of just over $44,000, the application says.
Oberer would move its operations next door to 3445 Newmark. The completion of the project would result in full occupancy of both buildings, resulting in 85,468 square feet in renovated office space.
Financing for 79 percent of the total project cost would be paid for from private funds.
The largest project among the applications for ED/GE grants was submitted by the city of Dayton under the code name “Project Gloss.”
The city’s request seeks $350,000 to help a $33.3 million logistics and distribution project, one that could create 345 new jobs and an annual payroll of $10.5 million.
The project application said the company “will establish its business operations at Dayton International Airport” and construct a 570,000-square-foot building.
It cites the success of the Procter & Gamble distribution center in Union, just west of the airport. The application said 70 percent of those employees reside in Dayton.
In all, seven cities and one township asked for $1.69 million in county development funds for projects they say would create 796 jobs and retain just over 500 existing jobs, according to county documents.
Other grant requests included:
- Moraine and Vandalia appear to be competing for a single employer, audio-visual equipment and information technology firm Lastar/Cables to Go. Vandalia hopes the company will move to 6500 Poe Ave., providing 125 jobs for the city.
The company currently is based at 3555 Kettering Blvd. in Moraine. “The company has decided that the existing building is not operationally efficient, and the rent is too much to continue at the site,” Vandalia’s application says.
Moraine’s application says the company “is considering a complete renovation and reconfiguration” of its current 60,000 square feet.
- Also in Moraine, the city asked for $75,000 for a $1 million project, expanding Production Control Units' Dorothy Lane facility. That would create 20 jobs and retain 54 current jobs, Moraine's application says.
- In Brookville, manufacturer Green Tokai is seeking $100,000 for a nearly $7.9 million project that would create 57 new jobs at 20 Robert Wright Drive. Green Tokai in Brookville's biggest employer.
- "Project Third Brass" in the city of Huber Heights would create 42 new jobs. The city asked for $100,000 in a $550,000 project.
- Another project in Huber Heights, called "Project Round," would create six new jobs. The city is asking for $90,000 in a $600,000 project.
- A total of 56 new jobs are at stake for the city of Riverside in two projects. In the larger project, Riverside is seeking $150,000 for a $939,700 project for Radiance Technologies. Fifty new jobs are possible there, with 100 current jobs retained, documents show.
- Also in Riverside, SPGlobal Inc. seeks $25,000 in a $70,000 project that could create six jobs.
- The city of Miamisburg is seeking $250,000 in ED/GE funds to help offset the construction costs of a proposed new facility for manufacturer United Grinding North America Inc., which is considering multiple locations at the Austin Center area of Miamisburg. The project is expected to create 30 jobs.
There are two ED/GE funding rounds each year, in the spring and fall. The county has $1,782,622 available for the spring round, said Michael Norton-Smith, community and economic development specialist for Montgomery County.
Commissioners annually allocate $2 million for the ED/GE program, and the county has had some money remaining from projects that did not go forward or did not spend their entire award, Norton-Smith said.
After applications are made, a committee of county and local officers reviews them to decide which ones to endorse to the Montgomery County Commission, which has the final vote on projects to fund.
The ED/GE committee will decide on recommendations by May 11, with a commission vote slated for May 16.
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