Chill-Can Plant Incentives Include $1.5M City Grant
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The city’s Board of Control this morning approved a development agreement with M.J. Joseph Development Corp., which intends to construct a $20 million “self-chill can” research and production complex on the East Side.
City Council passed enabling legislation at its meeting last night that gave the go-ahead for the controlling board to proceed with the project.
The agreement includes the city providing M.J. Joseph with a site development grant not to exceed $1.5 million, demolition assistance, and acquisition and conveyance of about 21 acres bounded by the Himrod Expressway, Oak Street, Fruit Street, and Himrod Avenue.
Sources of the funding will come from the city’s business development fund, environmental sanitation fund, water fund, and wastewater fund, officials said.
Another part of the city’s incentives package will be a tax abatement of 75% over 10 years on new construction. The city must inform the Youngstown City Board of Education of the tax abatement in writing before that measure is placed before Council.
David Bozanich, the city’s finance director, said he’s pleased the city was able to acquire the property needed for the first phase of project.
The city closed on a purchase agreement with Bertie Tillis yesterday, the last residential holdout on Lane Avenue, Bozanich noted. The city also has a verbal agreement on a vacant parcel and is working to acquire another vacant lot in the area.
“This doesn’t stop the project,” he said.
Economic Development Director T. Sharon Woodberry said the city has fielded inquiries from contracting and construction companies who are interested in bidding on work for the project.
Information on where contractors could submit inquiries related to the project will be posted on the city’s website, she said.
Mitchell Joseph, CEO of the Joseph Company International and M.J. Joseph Development, told The Business Journal Oct. 14 that his company intends to construct a $20 million production, research and development center on this area of the city’s East Side. The new facility will manufacture the world’s first self-chilling can.
The campus will consist of four buildings, and include a plastics-injection molding operation, research and development, new offices, and distribution operations.
Joseph owns the patent to the world’s first self-chilling can, and plans to develop the technology for other industries, including athletics, the military and cosmetics. His company, based in Irvine, Calif., manufactures the cans.
Mayor John McNally said a groundbreaking should take place next month in order to fit Joseph’s schedule. “I think we’ve demolished four or five properties over there in the last four or five months,” he said.
Additional development along other areas of the city is planned, including the “Wick Six” area of Wick Avenue on the city’s lower North Side, the mayor said.
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