Ross County — The Ross County Commissioners supported the development of a new large industrial building, which will help provide much-needed square footage in the county.
The 50,000-square-foot spec building will be on Delano Road in Green Township.
Tammy Eallonardo, director of Greater Chillicothe & Ross County Development, asked the commissioners to sign a resolution in support of a loan to the developer by Jobs Ohio. She said the RIPL program (Rural Industrial Park Loan) can provide up to $2,500,000, with 50 to 75% of a loan forgivable at the end.
She said Kevin Winegardner, who sat with her in the meeting, is a well-known local developer she is glad to be working with. He is the principal of “Delano Industrial” which is in the beginning phases of preparing the 82-acre field.
It’s on the south side of Delano Road, east of State Route 159 and west of Marietta Road, and on the east side of the Nortfolk Southern railroad line. The county engineer and county planner have approved its access road at the top of the ridge that Delano Road crosses over.
Eallonardo says Winegardner has been doing basic studies required for developing for the site, but will not break ground until he’s sure of the loan.
She says he does not have a client to fill the building, but expects to attract one, with the lack of available large industrial buildings. It will be relatively close to Kenworth, which has several suppliers in the area, and wants more of them to move nearby.
Eallonardo said its planned 50,000-square-foot size has the potential for roughly 50 to 100 new jobs for the area.
Greater Chillicothe & Ross County Development has a website and Facebook page.