Pounds: Overland rising
Written by Tom Pounds | President / Publisher | tpounds@toledofreepress.comThe rapidly developing Hollywood Casino and the nascent activity in the Marina District have been joined by another promising enterprise. On July 7, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority revealed its master plan for redevelopment of the Jeep Parkway property.
How exciting it is to have conversations about new market forces like Penn National Gaming and Dashing Pacific adding to the momentum of a respected mainstay like our Port Authority. This mix of existing and new money is the long-desired and long-needed spark that could grow to a full-fledged development renaissance.
As reported by Toledo Free Press Senior Business Writer Duane Ramsey, “The 111-acre brownfield site will be redeveloped into a commercial and industrial complex with 30 acres for an urban park along the Ottawa River. The Overland Park development will occupy 70 acres of the Jeep Parkway property and offer from 900,000 to 1 million square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space in several buildings.
“The master plan was developed with a focus on manufacturing and the ceremony could become the home to new energy technologies or automotive suppliers with the potential expansion of the Chrysler Jeep plants.”
And that is the other piece of what is becoming a very exciting puzzle. Rumors are swirling fast and furious that Chrysler is preparing a Toledo expansion that could potentially add 1,500 on-site jobs, another 500 related positions and make our plant one of North America’s largest facilities.
Along with the leadership of Mayor Mike Bell, key players in the development, government, research and labor areas are suddenly turning potential and promise into reality.
Port Authority officials and Bell cited the collaboration of local, state, federal officials, local companies and the University of Toledo in helping to move the Overland project forward. That sense of harmony is becoming the norm, not the exception, as projects continue to pop up.
Nothing succeeds like success, and we now have three, soon four, major accomplishments to tout.
Let’s all throw our shoulders behind the effort to spread the good word and keep a relentless eye on making sure the dawn of Toledo’s new golden age grows into a long day in the sun.
Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.
Tags: Dashing Pacific, Hollywood Casino Toledo, Marina District, Mike Bell, Penn National Gaming, Publisher's Statement, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Tom Pounds
Tom, this is great news, but the workers and famiies still won’t have any major retail downtown for shopping. I thought that the Huntington Center was to spur such growth.
This comment was posted on July 15th, 2011 at 1:04 am