After nearly a year and a half after purchasing more than 200 acres for Innovation Park, Marysville City Council members have some concerns about progress at the site.
At Monday’s council meeting, councilperson Henk Berbee expressed worry about how the Industrial Parkway site is coming along. Berbee said the city worked on the land for a “little bit over a year, close to a year and a half.” Since purchasing the land the City of Marysville has, according to Berbee, invested nearly $7 million into the site and has little to show for it.
“Now, all of a sudden, it’s not happening as fast as we’d hoped,” Berbee said.
That was after Economic Development Director Eric Phillips presented a resolution to postpone the deadline for Elford Construction to close on its contract with the city from later this month to the end of the year.
“Part of that is getting up and running with the marketing strategy, trying to get a tenant in the facility,” Phillips said.
The city moved to purchase the land in late 2016 for nearly $5 million. Earlier this year, council passed a resolution allowing Elford Construction to be the first builder at the site.
Phillips said the company has already sent site plans and a marketing flyer to the city, and said Elford has invested a significant amount of money into the project already.
Berbee asked what’s holding up progress at the site. Berbee said he’s still optimistic about the project, but wanted an update.
Phillips said there’s “a lot of activity” at the Innovation Park, but there are a couple of factors to consider.
He said the recent tariffs set by the federal government is causing the cost of construction, specifically the cost of steel, to go up.
“What we’re seeing is an increase in cost of construction for buildings,” Phillips said.
Phillips also said those tariffs are making a lot of Japanese companies put expansion plans on hold, “because of the fear of tariffs.”
“That’s impacting the park directly,” Phillips said.
Phillips said the Innovation Park is also new for the city. He said Marysville has never had buildings intended for multiple industrial tenants.
“This is a whole new arena we’re going in,” he said. “It’s going to take some time to build that.”
Berbee reiterated that he still believes Innovation Park to be a smart investment. He noted that the same concerns were likely expressed about the Colemans Crossing development years ago. Now, Colemans Crossing is a lively development, and he said Innovation Park could end up the same.
“I have no doubt that maybe 10 or 12 years from now, that we’ll see the same thing at that particular site,” Berbee said.
Phillips agreed, and said, “We definitely need to get something built in here.”
Councilperson Alan Seymour asked Phillips to put together an overview of similar sites around Central Ohio, and what the trends have been for development coming into the area.
“Just a barometer of the activity,” Seymour said. “Is it trending upward? Is it flat?”
Phillips said some of that work had already been done, that his office could finish it up for council.
“We’re promoting a lot, and it will come together,” Phillips said. “It’s just taking a little bit more time than we’d like.”
In other council news:
-After waiving the third reading, council unanimously passed legislation allowing the purchase of an armored vehicle for the Marysville Division of Police. The $241,300 vehicle will be paid for out of the police trust fund and general fund.
“As far as the equipment is concerned, I think it’s needed,” said Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips. “This vehicle would provide (the Special Response Team) with appropriate cover.”
He added that the vehicle does not signal the militarization of the police department.
-City Manager Terry Emery told council that this week will mark the beginning of the 2018 Japanese exchange program. Ten Japanese students from Yorii will be in Marysville for a week starting Friday.
“There will be various activities throughout the week that the students will be taking part in,” Emery said.
-Emery also told council that the city’s next Friday Nights Uptown event will be this Friday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The theme is Blues and Brews, and the Hoodoo Soul Band will perform.