Oberlin buys future industrial park land for $2.4 million

OBERLIN — Two tracts of land totaling 211 acres were purchased for $2.4 million at auction Thursday, expanding the city limits south and west. With frontage on U.S. Route 20 across from Walmart, the farmland will be converted into a industrial park, said Oberlin City Council President Bryan Burgess. "It's not every day you buy this much real estate," he said. "It will mean a lot for the economic future of Oberlin." The city's existing industrial park, about 80 acres on Route 511, was established in the 1960s and is full. But Oberlin needs to continue to grow, Council Vice President Kelley Singleton said. Its largest employer is the Federal Aviation Administration, but there is no guarantee the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center will remain in town forever, he said. Oberlin College is another huge employer. It's not realistic to expect, given the college's current cost-cutting efforts, that it will always produce the same income tax revenue, Singleton said. "It seems that the natural path for economic growth for Oberlin is on the southern part of the city," he said. About six weeks ago, auction signs went up on the Pittsfield Township acreage owned by Eric and Lori McConnell. Burgess said city officials have discussed the need for more industrial park land for years. The former Green Acres property, on 15 acres near the current industrial park, is zoned residential and simply isn't large enough to suit the city's vision, he said. Nor would it meet demand. Burgess said the city receives inquiries from companies about available land for development on a weekly basis. "We don't respond to them because we haven't had any land available," he said. Before The Wendt Group — which is based in Plain City — opened bidding Thursday morning, City Council held a special meeting to discuss the 211 acres behind closed doors. Singleton said the property was perfect. It has highway access, "incredible" drainage and isn't forested, which means it is "in good shape to be shovel-ready," he said. The property also mostly sits inside a joint economic development district that has existed for about two decades. It allows the city and Pittsfield Township to share revenues from new businesses. That means any company that builds there will provide new income for Oberlin, the township and Oberlin Schools, Singleton said. "It's pretty exciting. We've just increased the size of Oberlin by 16 or 17 Tappan Squares," he said. Singleton doesn't want to see more big box stores built. He said "good, high-paying jobs" are the goal, and city officials will look for investors who share Oberlin's sustainable development ideals. "The huge influx of semiconductor companies into Ohio, I would love to get a piece of that," he said. The city has already proved it can attract environmentally responsible businesses, said Burgess, pointing to its existing industrial park. Companies there include a medical implant manufacturer, a greenhouse robotics firm and a marijuana farm. "These are not smokestack industries," Burgess said. Development is not expected to happen overnight on the city's new Route 20 acreage. Burgess said Council will have to first discuss zoning — he has not yet made up his mind about what density would be appropriate. Breaking ground for a new business within a year would be too soon, and waiting 10 years to do so would be too long, he said. Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.