By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The Wood Bridge Business Park in Bowling Green is a big generator of jobs and a big consumer of the city’s electricity.
So in 2020, the city applied for an Economic Development Administration grant with the hope of receiving federal funds to expand the park and make infrastructure improvements to the area.
“Unfortunately, we were not selected to receive the EDA grant due to the requests exceeding available funds, and they prioritized projects that would manufacture personal protective equipment to address COVID issues,” said Director of Utilities Brian O’Connell.
So the city shifted gears.
“To determine our next step, we identified the highest priority project that would provide the best benefit to the city,” O’Connell said. “We focused on the portion that would most likely result in increased employment and increased utility sales in the shortest amount of time.”
Other priorities include improvement of the water service reliability in the park, and creation of another vehicular access to the park.
The second effort at getting funding proved successful.
Bowling Green Economic Development Director Kati Thompson secured a commitment from the state to pay up to 75% of the road and storm sewer work on the project. The city would be responsible for the remaining 25% of those costs, plus 100% of the electric, water and sewer costs.
The top project in Woodbridge has been identified as Rankin Drive. This project would make road improvements at East Wooster Street, and extend a road (Rankin Drive) from East Wooster Street to Woodland Circle.
A water main would be installed from East Wooster along Rankin Drive to Woodland Circle, which will provide a looped water service for the park. A sanitary sewer would also be installed to serve the property.
The total cost estimate for engineering and construction is $2.4 million.
Thompson has been told the state would pay up to $1.4 million for the project.
O’Connell asked that the city pay the remaining $1 million from the Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Fund.
If all goes as planned, the construction plans could be developed this year, the construction of underground utilities could be done over the fall and winter, and the road improvements could be done in 2022.
Thompson explained the need to use the state funds, rather than reapply for the EDA grant.
“I get multiple requests every week” about locations in Wood Bridge Business Park, Thompson told the board of public utilities Monday evening.
“These people want to start manufacturing, literally, in six months,” she said.
O’Connell agreed that businesses don’t want to wait for infrastructure.
“Their first question is – is there a road and access to utilities,” he said. When Bowling Green officials reply that it will take 18 months, “they don’t want to wait that long.”
State officials have told economic development leaders in Ohio that there is a 24- to 36-month window to capture major electric car manufacturing investments in the state, Thompson said.
“As quickly as you can get sites shovel ready,” manufacturers are ready to snap them up, she said.
The board of public utilities voted Monday to accept the state grant funding and contract for improvements to the business park.
The park currently has two of Bowling Green’s top 10 electric users, and a third customer is in the top 15 electric users in the city. A new business that is starting up in the park is likely to be in the top five electric users, if it meets projections.
“We have several top electric users out there,” O’Connell said.
The project is expected to increase utility sales and employment, since DOWA THT America is planning an expansion on a portion of the property on Rankin Drive. DOWA heat treats parts for the automobile industry and ships them back to suppliers. An industrial developer is also planning to construct a building on one of the parcels that would be marketed for manufacturing.
