REBUILDING CLEVELAND'S INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS

Ohio Grant Supports Business Development in Cleveland

Cleveland, OH – WIRE-Net announced that the Ohio Department of Development has awarded a $500,000 grant to the City of Brook Park from their Roadwork Development Fund (629) to add the final funding piece for a planned $3.8 million reconfiguration of West 150^th Street between Industrial Parkway and Brookpark Road. This section of road spans the Cities of Cleveland and Brook Park and both communities will see the immediate benefits to strong commercial/industrial corridors.

“Collaboration has been the key to this project from the “get go”,” according to Michael Hoag, Vice President of WIRE-Net’s Redevelopment Program. “Cleveland and Brook Park recognize the importance of this artery in supporting a base of nearly 70 firms and 3,800 full-time jobs. Major roadway deficiencies will be addressed to allow these businesses to continue growing in this area”. Improvement slated under this project include, widening existing road lanes, increasing turning lanes at both Brookpark Road and Industrial Parkway, and addressing drainage and clearance issues at the Norfolk Southern railway bridge.

Additional funding was provided though the Ohio Public Works Commission with a $1.0 million grant and a $1.5M loan. The remaining cost will be shared among the Cities of Cleveland and Brook Park.

This industrial district in Cleveland has seen close to $14 million in business investment in the past 2 years, highlighted by a new $8 million warehouse/distribution facility opened by the Oatey Company in 2004. A private developer has plans to invest $4.5 million in a new 60,000 sq. ft. office/warehouse facility on 5 acres in the area and Amros, a designer and builder of specialty packaging, has already invested over $2 million since moving into the area last year.

“Public and private investment feed off each other”, notes John Colm, WIRE-Net’s President and Executive Director.

Brook Park will serve as the lead agency for coordinating the improvements. They already have an engineering firm under contract for design services and construction is targeted to begin later this year.

WIRE-Net strengthens manufacturing in northeast Ohio to create healthy communities and fuel economic growth by providing expertise that is responsive to manufacturing related businesses and their employees. WIRE- Net connects leaders to each other and engages them in their communities. Through its mission WIRE-Net is working to create a region that values and invests in profitable, sustainable manufacturing companies. WIRE-Net is building a community of manufacturers that embraces innovation to compete globally, that works together to drive economic health locally, and whose leaders are committed to their employees and our community.

For more information, please see on WIRE-Net’s website at www.wire-net.org.