NORTH BALTIMORE, Ohio — A new logistics park estimated to cost as much as $150 million and with the potential to bring 2,000 jobs to Henry Township is one step closer to becoming reality.
Wood County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a community reinvestment area for Kansas City-based NorthPoint Development. The firm, which specializes in helping companies build out their logistics and infrastructure hubs, plans to construct several new buildings on a piece of land across from CSX Transportation’s North Baltimore intermodal terminal. The plan presented to the commissioners calls for five new buildings between 400,000 and 1 million square feet. The total project could cost between $100 million and $150 million.
The CRA grants NorthPoint a 100 percent tax exemption for 15 years per building. The CRA incentivizes property owners who build new infrastructure.
“I think we have been looking to see what would be the best fit for that area since the intermodal was built and dedicated,” said Wood County Commissioners President Doris Herringshaw. “It’s nice to see a project move forward. There are all kinds of possibilities.”
If the plan comes to fruition, schools in the area stand to benefit with each phase of the project. Ms. Herringshaw said North Baltimore Schools will receive about 25 cents per square foot per building, and Penta Career Center will receive about three cents per square foot.
The property is situated near Deshler and Liberty Hi roads, and was rezoned by the township trustees in 2011 when the intermodal was built. North Baltimore Village Administrator Michael Brillhart said any new development would likely use city services.
“We believe it would become part of our community,” Mr. Brillhart said. “It has a regional basis and it will impact the entire Midwest, including Michigan and Indiana because of the additional traffic with logistics and rail development spurred through this project.”
Ms. Herringshaw said the new facilities would be built in phases, with Phase I bringing in about 1,500 jobs. She said the park’s proximity to the railyard is the main draw for companies.
“It will provide logistics for companies who use the intermodal to transport goods,” she said. “A lot of the companies realized how convenient it was to access I-75 as well as the turnpike. They have transportation for Cincinnati, Chicago, and Detroit nearby.”