Editor’s Note: This is part of five-day series looking at the top stories from 2021 and what we can expect in 2022. The series will be published Dec. 26-30.
COSHOCTON — The announcement of several construction projects and an initiative to expand broadband in Coshocton County in 2021 as a spur to economic development will begin in earnest in 2022.
Tiffany Swigert, director of the Coshocton Port Authority, said the projects should entice new businesses and residents to locate to Coshocton as it speaks to quality of life and the county as one on the rise.
Broadband project
Local officials have noted rural broadband as a major hurdle to growth and that will be greatly addressed in 2022. Coshocton County Commissioners this year pledged $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act Funding to provide internet access to 20,000 residents by spring 2023.
Residents in underserved areas such as Millcreek, Nellie, Warsaw, New Castle and Blissfield should have access in the first quarter of 2022 and four new towers to reach more of the county will be installed in the summer. Ohio TT is registering customers now.
Coshocton Collaborative
The port authority announced the Coshocton Collaborative in July for the Chacos Building at 538 Main St., home of the old Pastime Theater. It will feature a unique makerspace, business incubator and co-working facility while also providing office space for the port authority, Our Town Coshocton and other agencies. Reviving the theater for shows is hoped for as well.
The port authority is finishing its application for a $2.9 million grant to the Ohio Economic Development Administration for the estimated $3.6 million project. Previous grant funding includes $375,000 from the Coshocton Foundation and $690,000 from Jobs Ohio.
Swigert feels they have a strong application and is sure the EDA will recognize the importance of the Collaborative for continued local economic growth. If the money comes in, Swigert said the Collaborative should open in fall 2023. If not, they will continue to pursue other avenues.
“We’re hoping to hear something positive from the EDA in 60 to 90 days. We then have a very aggressive timeline for that building should we receive the EDA grant,” Swigert said. “We’re going to be doing all the preparation for this, because we truly feel that we’ve put together a fantastic grant application.”
Construction projects
While a lot of focus has been put on acquiring funding for the proposed new Coshocton Justice Center, two other county agencies began seeking new homes in 2021 and work on those should start in the coming year.
Coshocton County Emergency Medical Services recently received a $1.95 million Targets of Opportunity CARES Act Funding grant from the Ohio Department of Development for the $4 million project. Construction is set to begin this summer at a vacant lot at the corner of Walnut and Seventh streets, former site of Central Elementary School. The new building will be around 12,000 square feet and include five ambulance bays, office space, crew quarters and training facility.
Also on the lot will be a new facility for the Coshocton County Coordinated Transportation Agency. It’s waiting to hear on an application to the Ohio Department of Transportation that would provide 80% of the estimated $1.9 million cost. The building will feature office space and garages for parking shuttles inside.
One construction project already getting under roof is the new Genesis Coshocton Medical Center near the intersection of U.S. 36 and Airport Road. The $45 million project is estimated to create more than 200 jobs.
The one-story structure will include an emergency department with 10 beds, overnight patient observation unit with 10 beds, outpatient surgery center, imaging department, laboratory, pharmacy, cardiac diagnostics, respiratory therapy, a medical office building for specialists and physical, occupational and speech therapies.
Genesis reports site work is about 90% done and the facility is still on target to open in 2023. A roof and shell has been completed. Canopy and curtain wall framing and fireproofing has started. A base coat of asphalt has been applied and work on an interior slab has begun. Major work coming next will be internal framing and plumbing and electrical work.
Continuing momentum
Swigert said such construction projects are thrilling to see as other counties have struggled with economic development during the COVID-19 pandemic. She doesn’t want that momentum to wane and said the port authority is continuing to develop sites for shovel-ready projects.
She couldn’t talk specifics, but said two to three new building projects could be announced in 2022. One project recently announced is a new Goodwill retail store and donation center on land previously owned by the port authority on Whitewoman Street. It should open in the fall.
“We’re incredibly excited about that fact that we’ve thrived through what most have considered a challenging two years. We’ve got people locally making investments and they’re large investments,” Swigert said. “Right now you can drive around Coshocton and it feels like every few blocks you’re able to point out a brand new capital investment here.”
Swigert said the growth is being recognized on a regional and state level and such development just encourages more businesses and individuals to come to Coshocton.
“They’re seeing the investment. They’re seeing the workforce development,” Swigert said. “We’re so collaborative in nature here that any challenge we have, we bring everybody to the table to sit down and solve that. That’s kind of contagious and I think it’s something respected outside Coshocton.”
llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com
@llhayhurst
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