SPECULATIVE BUILDINGS

In 2018, the BDC announced plans for a new 100,000-square-foot spec building at the site of the abandoned Chrysler Amplex building on Bonnewitz Road, just south of U.S. Route 30. This complex had been abandoned since the late 1980s and was revitalized thanks to a 1.2-million-dollar grant to demolish the site from the Ohio Regional Growth Commission.

“This project is a perfect example of a collaborative project positioning the community for growth.”

- Stacy Adam, Executive Director of the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation

The Business Development Corporation had a vision for the project + awareness of the demand for a move-in-ready facility of this size. Jerry Robinson was willing to continue investing in Van Wert as the developer. The Regional Growth Partnership guided available incentives to support the project. Citizens National Bank, First Federal of Van Wert, and Van Wert Federal Savings Bank became involved in the funding.

Pat Ryan, a member of the BDC and Citizen’s Bank, had incredible perseverance to overcome the many challenges with the project all along the way and never gave up. It resulted in the Economic Development office marketing a newly constructed, 100,000-square-foot building available to attract new business to Van Wert. This building was utilized quickly by an existing community business looking for expansion space.

Given the success of the first spec building - the BDC + its community development partners enlisted a second building with Robinson Investments that is pending completion in the summer of 2023. If you build it, they will come.