City looks to reap benefits of public, private projects

ThisWeek CW 01/02/2014

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2014/01/02/groveport-city-looks-to-reap-benefits-of-public-private-projects.html

Groveport is looking forward to 2014 as a year of project completion, as well as continued development and investment in the growing community.

City officials said they were extremely pleased with all of the private and public investments made in 2013, and look forward to reaping the benefits of those investments in 2014. Included will be the completion of projects such as the Town Center development and new police facility, as well as upgrades to the Municipal Building.

The city borrowed approximately $1 million via a 10-year note to relocate the Groveport Division of Police to a new facility on Clyde Moore Drive. The move will free up space in the Municipal Building for new offices for the Building Department as well as several other building enhancements.

City Administrator Marsha Hall said she is excited for the completion of these projects, as well as the completion of the new water treatment plant, which is part of a larger project that included the implementation of a new water metering program that was installed during 2013.

Hall also pointed to the completion of the Port Road reconstruction project, paid for entirely by Ohio Public Works Commission grant funds, as something that will be a major improvement for the city in the coming year.

Finance Director Jeff Green agreed, saying that he anticipates continued growth in the city’s industrial parks after a record year in 2013.

“The occupancy rate in our industrial parks is at a record low of 4 to 5 percent, and we are now in discussions with developers who are planning to break ground in 2014 for new speculative buildings, to add more space,” he said.

Besides commercial development, Hall said she is looking forward to the new senior housing development on Hendron Road. According to the developer, Todd Valentine of LW Associates, the 50-unit housing complex should be available by fall.

“We plan to build the whole development at once and make the units available for rent by next fall,” Valentine said. Rents are projected to be in the range of $515 to $580 a month, which includes utilities, and will be available to residents 55 years and older.

The coming year will bring with it one new face on City Council as well. Longtime Councilwoman Jan Stoots chose not to run for re-election, and Becky Hutson was elected in November to the seat.

Finally, the city is considering options for a potential multimillion dollar upgrade to The Links at Groveport golf course. Currently, preliminary plans that include several options have been provided to city officials for consideration, but no specific timeline has been set.