VWAEDC lists development highlights

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation recently released its annual report for 2018 showing increased development opportunities, as well as more dollars coming into the county for development projects.

Stacy Adam, VWAEDC executive director, noted that approximately $80 million in capital investment was announced or completed in 2018, with highlights including the completion of the Van Wert Health North clinic in the Towne Center shopping center, the start of a $45 million expansion to the hospital’s main campus at Washington Street and Hospital Drive, the merger of Braun Industries with Demers Ambulances of Canada, the completion of a 100,000-square-foot speculative building by Robinson Investments on Grill Road, and The Landing at Dickinson Farms, a 159-acre residential subdivision begun by G5 Partners.

GKN Freight also moved into its new facility, the former Times-Bulletin building at 700 Fox Road, during 2018, Healthcare Partners announced it would build a memory care facility in the Towne Center shopping center, and Vancrest Health Care Center expanded and renovated is facility on Van Wert-Decatur Road.

In total, Adam said 165 jobs were created in 2018, with a total payroll of approximately $7.4 million; 352 jobs were retained, with a total payroll of approximately $18 million, while more than $1 million in incentive money was provided to local entities.

The City of Van Wert added approximately $20 million of increased payroll in 2018 over 2017, which itself saw an increased payroll of approximately $18 million over the previous year.

Adam also talked about the successes of the Van Wert County Land Reutilization Corporation (land bank), which has acquired a total of 48 properties and has demolished dilapidated buildings on 47 of those. The land bank has now received a total of $1.15 million, including $150,000 in 2018, and expects another allocation this year to continue its mission of acquiring rundown properties and demolishing them.

The Van Wert Works website was also busy in 2018, with nearly 150 employers posting 480 job opportunities on the site.

The VWAEDC also helped form a Business Advisory Council to interact with Van Wert, Crestview, and Lincolnview school districts, as well as provided assistance to the Career Education Opportunity (CEO) program developed by Van Wert City Schools that is now in all three county school districts.

“The one thing that is clear is that economic development does not happen with one person or one office,” Adam said, while thanking those entities that provided financial and other assistance to the VWAEDC.

The VWAEDC is headed by President Troy Miller, while other officers include Sticky Rammel, vice president; Carol Miller, treasurer; and Bob Priest, secretary. Other members are Vallace Hunt, County Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger, Van Wert Mayor Jerry Mazur, Troy Hoffman, and Jim Bonifas.