Bid Awarded for Global Investment Hub Renovation Project

LISBON, Ohio – Renovation work will continue on the Columbiana County Global Investment Hub in Leetonia, which is slated to open next year.

During a teleconference meeting Monday, the Columbiana County Port Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously in favor of a resolution awarding a $290,900 contract to Stitle Construction Corp. for interior renovation of 6,670 square feet of existing office space in a building located at the CCPA’s industrial park.

In addition to the interior renovation, the total bid package includes alternate bids of $9,200 to upgrade the furnace, $31,000 for HVAC and $1,100 for electrical circuit breakers.

The project was made possible with $400,000 from the state capital budget and $250,000 in ACR/GOA grant funding, and Executive Director Penny Traina told the board that due to the project beginning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which created supply chain issues and increases in pricing, additional funding had to be sought.

Five bids were received for this phase of the project, with engineers Howells and Baird recommending acceptance of Stitle Construction’s bid. The engineer’s estimate was $467,000.

“We’re very happy with the bids that came in and thrilled to finally get this project off the ground,” Traina told the board.

The hub will be located in a portion of a 105,000-square-foot industrial building owned by the CCPA at its 600 Cherry Fork location, which already houses a 3D printing company.

The CCPA partnered with the Youngstown State University Small Business Development Center and Export Assistance Network on the hub project to target 3D printing, technology and petrochemical businesses, according to Traina.

“The goal is to bring new or existing business in the clusters mentioned to the Global Investment Hub to produce more value-added products, create good-paying jobs and export products to the global market,” Traina said.

The university will assist the CCPA in the marketing and attraction of foreign businesses. “We greatly appreciate their partnership,” Traina said.

The interior renovation is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2023, and Traina told board members the goal is to have a ribbon-cutting after its completion, anticipated by the second quarter of the year.

At its regular meeting in November, the board passed a resolution awarding a contract for $83,400 to Santini Builders Inc. for the exterior facade of the building.

Pictured at top: The building at 600 Cherry Fork Road in Leetonia owned by the Columbiana County Port Authority. Plans are underway to redevelop the site into the Columbiana County Global Investment Hub.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.