Businesses seek Montgomery County funds for 800+ possible new jobs

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Credit: JIM NOELKER

An Italian transformer manufacturing operation wants to locate in the Dayton area — in Miami Twp., Trotwood or Union — and invest $40 million in a new 215,000-square-foot building that would bring 230 new jobs.

The company that is not being named has requested $500,000 in Montgomery County development funds. The project is code-named “Project Swifty,” to protect the identity of the interested business, according to an Economic Development/ Government Equity (ED/GE) application.

And in Moraine, what Montgomery County calls “Project Crispy,” a company is seeking $250,000 in development dollars for a food manufacturer to establish itself at the former General Motors paint shop. That project could create 250 new jobs, according to the county.

In terms of possible new jobs, those are two of the biggest among the new batch of nine Montgomery County ED/GE grant applications released Tuesday.

Other projects up for consideration for the grants:

· Dayton: A $88,000,000 project tied to the AC Marriott and Madison on First Avenue, to redevelop more than 77,000 square feet of Class A office space for a confidential end-user who will create 110 new jobs in downtown Dayton.

· In Kettering: ETI-Starwin, an aerospace-defense company, needs to expand its facility by 40,000 square feet. The company wants to invest $3.5 million and the project would create 20 new jobs while protecting 42 current jobs, the county says.

· In Miami Twp., Square Rock LLC/Rushlight Assets Inc. seeks $500,000 to build a 25,763-square-foot building for a headquarters. This projected $10 million investment will create 25 jobs and retain 101 jobs.

· In Miamisburg, a Killer Brownie expansion seeks $100,000 to fuel an investment of $1.9 million for improvements, creating 20 new jobs and retaining 127 existing jobs. The Killer Brownie Co. bought a 27,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in that city in 2019.

· In Riverside, Mechanical Systems and Design seeks $460,000 for the building of a 26,000-square-foot facility to create up to 30 jobs. The company’s main operation is in Dayton, adjacent to the proposed site, the county said.

The expansion will support the retention of the company and its current 147 jobs.

There are two more projects eyeing possible Trotwood moves — “Project Sunrise,” which could create 124 jobs, and Gordon Food Service, which wants to invest more than $4.2 million to create an 8,500-square-foot commissary. The food manufacturing operation will create 31 jobs and retain 35 jobs, the county says.

Montgomery County ED/GE grants have been a Dayton-area economic incentive since 1992. The program is based on countywide sales tax proceeds from participating communities.

Communities apply for ED/GE funding on behalf of companies moving to or expanding in Montgomery County. There are typically two funding deadlines for a pair of funding rounds, in November and April.

An advisory committee is scheduled to meet April 15 to learn more about the applications. Typically, committee members hear directly from interested businesses seeking the grants.

The advisory committee will rank the applications and vote on how much each should receive in ED/GE funds. Often, applications are denied or deferred.

County commissioners have the final vote.

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