Site Work Underway for $170M TJX Project

LORDSTOWN, Ohio – Heavy rains late last week and over the weekend has put a damper on work at the site of TJX Companies Inc.’s $170 million distribution center in Lordstown. But work is still underway, reports Mayor Arno Hill.

The village of Lordstown issued zoning permits in April to site developer Independence Excavating Inc. in Independence. The contractor is preparing the site, nearly 300 acres, for the warehouse and distribution warehouse, guard house and pump house. 

Independence has taken down trees and put up silkscreen for water-retention areas, Hill reports. Based on what he has seen, it looks like they want to get as much of the building in place as possible before winter hits.   

“They are going great guns moving dirt,” he says. “They are going fast. I can see in six months part of the building going up as fast as they’re going.”

Spokesmen for Massachusetts-based TJX are tight-lipped on details related to the project, including its timeline or whether a general contractor has been selected for the project. 

“We began site work on our new distribution center in April. Beyond that, we wouldn’t get into specific details of the project,” says Andrew Mastrangelo, TJX manager of media relations. 

Sarah Boyarko, chief operating officer for the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, reports she saw “considerable progress on the clearing and grading phases” when she visited the site June 12. Chamber representatives have also met on several occasions with management and human resources “to support their ongoing needs” as the company effects its strategy to move into the market.  

“We’ll continue to remain in contact with company representatives throughout construction of their facility,” she says. 

State Sen. Sean O’Brien, D-32 Bazetta, reports he spoke with company officials recently who told him work is proceeding on schedule. 

“Everything is on track and they are moving forward,” he says. “As far as I know, they’re happy with everything the way it is right now and they’re ready to move forward.”

They also were pleased with community response to the company’s recent $500,000 donation to the Lordstown Local School District, he says. The money will be used for the development of a new storage and concession building at Lordstown Veterans Memorial Stadium, as well as security upgrades for the elementary and high schools.

“There will be many more beneficial things like that coming,” O’Brien says. “They intend to be good neighbors.” 

Pictured: Heavy rain over the weekend forced the cancellation of work at TJX Companies’ Lordstown site Monday.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.