Part of the Muskingum River Industrial Park is being developed to create a data center, resulting in construction jobs and permanent jobs. (Photo provided)

The Southeastern Ohio Port Authority is continuing its efforts to bring economic development to Washington County and the Mid-Ohio Valley.

In August 2024, the port authority moved closer to purchasing the former AMP-Gorsuch power plant site after the Washington County Commission approved creating a community development fund and putting $1.5 million in at the start toward.

In mid-February, the Port Authority officially acquired the property on Ohio 7 across from Eramet. The property has been described by SeOPA as the only opportunity for the county to marry rail and the river. The agency plans to connect its Muskingum River Industrial Park to the river and combine 455 miles of Ohio River frontage with 50 miles of rail to restore lost jobs, revenues and taxes to the area and open it up to the world market.

Port Authority Executive Director Jesse Roush previously said he was “relieved” that the fund was created and pointed out that SeOPA will be paying the $1.5 million back because it is a bond and the county will earn several hundred thousand dollars of interest.

“We began our due diligence on this property in early 2021 when it became clear that connecting the Muskingum River Industrial Park to the Ohio River was a crucial next step in its development,” Roush said in announcing the February acquisition. “Transforming the Gorsuch site into a multimodal transportation hub not only enhances projects at our site in Waterford but also creates new opportunities to support the supply chain needs of our agricultural, construction, manufacturing and transportation industries.”

In December, nearly $3 million was awarded to support remediation of the future site of Memorial Health System’s women and children’s hospital in Belpre and the former Remington-Rand property in Marietta. It was part of $86.1 million announced by the Ohio Department of Development and Gov. Mike DeWine for the cleanup and redevelopment of 81 brownfield sites in 46 counties.

The department awarded Ohio Brownfield Remediation program funds to the Port Authority in the amount of $1,359,807 for asbestos abatement, soil remediation and building demolition of the old Remington-Rand industrial property at 900 Greene St., Marietta, and $1,594,764 for demolition and soil remediation of the former Toll Compaction facility on Farson Street in Belpre, where the women and children’s hospital is being built.

The Remington-Rand site covers 11 acres in the heart of Marietta and is a historical property, Roush said. In 2019, the northeast corner of the building was redeveloped and leased to Westwater Supply, a plumbing and heating equipment firm.

Redevelopment plans for the property include a mixed-use industrial and commercial space, with the potential for a residential component.

“To see it start to move forward with initial redevelopment activities is encouraging,” Roush said.

The $1.5 million awarded for the Toll Compaction site will be used for the demolition and removal of a 74,592-square-foot industrial building, along with the remediation of stained soils, the release said.

Roush said Memorial, who is building the women and children’s hospital on the site, started the tear-down of the existing facility in the spring of 2024 and grant funds can reimburse eligible expenses back to July 2021.

The Toll Compaction site was previously used for manufacturing and chemical storage and the soil remediation is being done to meet the standards set by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Voluntary Action Program.

The project serves as a great example of what is possible in brownfield redevelopment when it is done properly, according to Roush.

“Brownfield sites typically occupy a portion of real estate that is desirable for development … the opportunity to do something such as a women and children’s hospital on a brownfield site is a unique opportunity for brownfield redevelopment,” he said.

Other 2024 highlights for the Port Authority included leasing 18 acres of the Muskingum River Industrial Park for a 200-megawatt data center that will create 200 construction jobs and over 40 full-time jobs; leading a working group to establish the Ohio River Commission which was passed and signed into law; and providing technical assistance to Ataraxia Properties for their redevelopment of the Glass Press properties in Marietta.

The authority also secured $500,000 in grant funding to clean up blighted properties throughout Washington County; increased advocacy efforts regarding the state’s housing shortage, which included providing testimony to the Ohio Housing Finance Authority; and securing $50,000 for the McKee Materials expansion in Marietta.

The Port Authority also hired a new staff member, onboarded a new accounting firm, moved into new offices and launched a new website, Roush said.

The Port Authority plans to continue supporting the development of a third natural gas-powered electric generation facility in Washington County, issue requests for proposals to construct new housing in Marietta as part of the Residential Revitalization Program and continue supporting business attraction and expansion efforts with technical assistance and site readiness initiatives.