Granville Township / Owens Fail To Get Job Ready Sites Funding
The Owens Corning site in Granville Township was not included when Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced the award of $46 million in Job Ready Sites program grants and $4.5 million in other state infrastructure grants for projects at 12 commercial sites throughout the state.
The announcement was made at Columbus’ TechCenter South, the site of a planned multi-use space development and recipient of Job Ready Sites Funding. Ohio’s Job Ready Sites program, administered by the Ohio Department of Development, gives communities a head start by helping them to develop shovel-ready sites into marketable business facilities.
"Improving upon our stock of high-quality sites will accelerate job growth for Ohioans and enable expansion for companies seeking to do business in Ohio," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "Our strategic investments run the gamut, from green initiatives and cutting-edge research centers to manufacturing and logistical facilities that deliver products once they are commercialized."
The Job Ready Sites program is a competitive funding program designed to increase the supply and quality of Ohio’s inventory of available sites and facilities served by utilities and transportation infrastructure. Since its inception in 2005, the program has awarded $102.5 million in grants.
The application for Granville Township was paid for by Owens Corning and was written by Poggemeyer Design Group, a national planning and design firm. Poggemeyer also has a joint contract with both the Village of Granville and Granville Township to update the Comprehensive Plan.
Owens Corning is the largest land owner in Granville other than Denison University. It owns 547 acres. Owens wants to condense its research park to about 70 acres and develop into residential and retail use.
The JRS grant request, as filed, was at odds with long-standing Granville planning policy. The grant request asked for $1 million for a two-mile sewer line to be constructed by Pataskala-based Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District to the Owens property. Long-standing Granville policy - as reflected in previous Plans, the 208 plan, etc. - has Granville Village supplying utilities so the community can exercise zoning control over development. (Granville already supplies water to the Owens Corning property and has a sewer line on adjacent property.) Click here to view the part of the grant application that details the costs for Southwest Licking sewers.
Township Trustee Bill Habig, who has worked to bring Pataskala-based Southwest Licking sewers to Granville to promote commercial and residential development, said in an email that he would try to use his connections in Columbus to secure the grant. Habig, a real estate development consultant, was appointed Trustee in October 2007 to replace Jim Havens, a real estate development attorney who resigned. Habig was a regional planner in Columbus before moving to Granville two years ago and getting appointed as a Trustee.
A regional economic development committee ranked Granville Township's application last among four applications forwarded to the state for possible funding.
The following is a list of the 2008 Ohio Job Ready Sites projects awarded funding:
Keystone Parke Project Site – A 467,000 square feet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver-certified Smart Office Campus development at the Dana Avenue interchange on Interstate 71 in Cincinnati. The project will receive $1.4 million.
Center City Core Redevelopment – Renovation of the historic Bushnell building in downtown Springfield to create 75,000 square feet of LEED-certified Smart Office space. The project is a key component of Springfield’s City Core Redevelopment Area and will receive $5 million.
TechTown Smart Building – Located on the former GM/Delco Thermo Products Facility, and adjacent to downtown Dayton’s revitalized north-end, the project will construct 60,000 square feet of LEED Silver-certified Smart Office space. The project will receive $5 million.
PMX Euclid – Located along Interstate 90 in Euclid, this project involves redevelopment of the former Chase Brass & Copper Company facility to create 85 acres of job-ready manufacturing space. The project will receive $4.3 million.
TechCenter South – Located in the south side of Columbus, the project will renovate the former Techneglas and Owens Illinois facilities to create 1.1 million square feet of multi-use office and industrial flex-space. The project will receive $5 million.
Cuyahoga Valley Industrial Center – The project will remediate environmentally contaminated land along the Cuyahoga River to create 64 acres of job-ready manufacturing space which will be the single largest available industrial site in Cleveland. The project will receive $5 million.
North Canton Hoover Campus Redevelopment Project – The project will redevelop the former Hoover headquarters and manufacturing center to create a truly mixed-use development. The redevelopment is to include 150,000 square feet of LEED certified Smart Office space, 300,000 square feet of manufacturing space, 250,000 square feet of distribution space, and 40,000 square feet of retail and live-work space. The project will receive $5 million.
Van Wert Mega Site – The City of Van Wert will make water, gas, electric and rail improvements to 1,600 acres to create a “mega-manufacturing” job-ready site northeast of the city. The project will receive $5 million.
NASA Plum Brook Research & Development Site – The project, in the City of Sandusky, will prepare 1,274 acres of land adjacent to the NASA Plum Brook Station to accommodate research and development space. Improvements at the site include facility upgrades, construction of water and sewer lines, and upgrade of existing gas and electric infrastructure. The project will receive $2.75 million.
Lake Erie Port Manufacturing and Industrial Center – The project will involve dredging for a deep sea port along the Maumee River and infrastructure improvements on the 181-acre site making the Toledo Port the largest on the Great Lakes. The project will receive $5 million.
Salt Springs Road Expansion – In support of Exal Corporation’s proposed expansion, the City of Youngstown, with Job Ready Sites funds, will acquire the current 68-acre LaFarge site along the Mahoning River, remediate it, upgrade utilities, and construct a public roadway. The Exal Corporation will construct a 600,000 square foot LEED Silver rated manufacturing facility. The project is expected to create 1,000 new advanced-manufacturing jobs. The project will receive $4.9 million.
Goodyear World Headquarters – The project involves construction of a new headquarters building and a research and development facility in the city of Akron. The project will receive $2 million.
Poggemeyer's relationship with Owens Corning as well as Granville Township and Granville Village has been the subject of controversy. Accepting contracts with the governmental entities as well as a large developer in the township, appears to be a serious conflict of interest on the part of Poggemeyer.
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See previous stories about Poggemeyer, Owens, the Township and the Village:
Bucknut Is A Coward
Bucknut, the defender of America, apple pie, and at-risk capital, hides behind a pseudonym.
He is a coward.
I use a pseudonym, but I don't make personal attacks on people who use their real names and have the strength of their convictions.
His capital may be at risk, but he is unwilling to risk his name.
He is a coward.
We should pity Bucknut
It makes me queezy to imagine having his perspective on life. Think about what he has written on this site and then try to place yourself in the mind of someone who believes what he has written. He appears to be a bright fellow with a twisted mind. Sometimes I think he is just trolling, but other times I think he actually believes what he writes.
Bucknut: Since you are so smart, rich and powerful, why not reveal your true identity? That way the wisdom you impart to us do-gooders could be preserved in the internet archives for future scholars to marvel over. Is it because you are humble? Is it because you know your views are selfish and hurtful to the general public?
Why pity someone for having a different view?
Just because he/she doesn't favor your view of your utopian society doesn't mean we should have a pity party. I think it is amazing the rise Bucknut can get out of people. Why are people wanting to know so bad who he/she is? The posts could be a joke or reflect true positions. So what. Because Bucknut doesn't have the same view as the all knowing good-doer Mr. Hawkins, he must be twisted.
You chose to have your name listed. If people were required to disclose their true identity, very few would post. Very fewer would actually likely state their true opinions or position for fear of being ostracized from Utopia as defined by you. Who knows Mr. Hawkins, you could be Bucknut and are just trying to do this to gain attention. Bottom line is that it doesn't matter. Opinions are just that. Just amazing that everyone else's but yours is wrong.
Absurd!
Our country was founded by people who used their own name and said what they believed.
I think that anyone should be able to post on this site using any name they choose to use.
However, when a poster decides to attack another poster and not just their ideas, then names should be revealed.
Jack Thornborough runs this site and everybody knows it - he makes no secret of it - his name is out there for all to know. Others, including Jack's kids and Chris Hawkins use their own names. They are honest people putting their opinions out in the open.
Jack lets anybody with an opinion publish on this site - he doesn't edit - he doesn't require real names. He doesn't censor - anybody can say anything they wish, including attacking Jack.
Who else do you know does that?
Anybody who attacks him or other posters is just plain wrong - unless they use their name out in the open.
I think Jack is doing a fantastic public service. I don't always agree with him, but I always respect him for his openness and honesty.
This is, after all, America.
Bucknut: Who Is He?
Bucknut, the defender of America, apple pie, and at-risk capital, refuses to reveal who he is?
What kind of a person is that?
Should anyone consider his arguments, if he doesn't have the strength of his convictions to use his own name?
The kindness of strangers
While we've heard the worst of tones lately on GP, we've also witnessed the kindness of strangers united against a bully. I don't know who Alicia, GranvilleMom, or Tweetybird are, but I like their style. Hummingbird wonders if Tweetybird is a distant relative given the name similarity. Birds of a feather?
Buknut's inexcusable meanness
Buknut has gone so far over the line in meanness that I find my hands trembling with anger. I have posted on this web site before asking people to be nicer to each other. I never imagined that someone would find it acceptable to attack a local student. As a mother I know this does not reflect the Granville I know. I support Sarah and every other Granville student whether I know them or not. Buknut reveals a lot about his character and I will stay far far away from reading any post that carries his name.
A good day for Granville
I want to concur with my friend leftright. It's important to enjoy Granville's successes.
Notwithstanding my warm acquaintanceship with two of the Trustees, we must remember they are only people and probably not the best suited for their positions. By bringing issues to the fore, we help Fred and Wes understand that Owens should be served by Granville Village, not Southwest Licking sewer district from Pataskala.
It is fair to wonder, how can Fred and Wes not know that? But today I feel it's best to celebrate a small victory and hope that Fred and Wes will try to return the Board of Trustees to the mainstream.
The gang that couldn't shoot straight
Let me make certain I have this right.
First Habig secretly tries to get Southwest Licking to provide sewer services to River Road/Weaver drive.
Then Habig tries to get Southwest Licking sewer to the Owens Corning land.
Then Habig comes up with a half-baked proposal for development of part of the Owens Corning land. That proposal comes in a glorious last regionally and who knows where statewide.
Then Habig is involved with this Poggemeyer firm that is working with one or more developers at the same time Poggemeyer is taking money from township taxpayers for their clearly "high quality" work that is just coincidently related to the development projects their other clients want.
Then Habig announces that the trustees will vote on some draft of the comprehensive plan on December 10 leaving the trustees no time to modify the document based on any allowed township resident comments that very evening.
Then Habig cancels the Township Zoning Commission review/hearing on the comprehensive plan (after postponing it once, and after the meeting was just not held another time to the surprise of those residents who wanted to comment on the plan).
Something is wrong with this picture. The trustees are not getting their act together... Habig seems out of touch with township residents, is seemingly resistant to receiving any input from township residents, and cannot even get out of last place in the region when he proposes something. The other trustees? They are just as pleased as punch with Habig.
Then Habig...
Then Habig tells the Sentinel that the new Trustee will be appointed by the same bogus process that selected him over four better qualified long-time Granville residents.
"Everybody seemed to think it worked so well the last time, so we wanted to do it again," Habig says.
Cue the laugh track. Who on earth -- much less Granville! --thinks the process was anything but a joke that resulted in a huge mistake?
Here we have an incompetent, divisive, out-of-towner who flatters himself in public because he doesn't realize that the single hand patting him on the back is his own.
These Trustees really are their own situation comedy.
hardy-har- har.....
I just don't see the humor in the Trustee BS.
Owens was turned down by the state for the development grant so hopefully the Trustees will back off.The River Road development has been put in remission,FOR NOW!
Kraner is panicked about the housing development he fought so hard for.There's no market for ANy homes now, let alone $450,000 estates.
These guys consistently make poor decisions for us and themselves.
Who is interested in the Trustee position? How can I find out who is applying?
Smiling for Granville today
I don't know if the Trustees are ha-ha funny or sad funny but it is reassuring that their plot failed. Everyone who stood up in opposition should take some credit. The e-mails and letters opposing Southwest Licking sewers in Granville Township may have played a role in helping preserve Granville for a new generation. A vigilant community can help Granville avoid the same fate as Pataskala. At least we can be hopeful for a day. I'm smiling.
Smiling for the capitalists
The temporary slowdown in the development of the Owens property will enrich current landowners who continue to rent our properties predominantly to those with school age children and develop our land principally toward those with school age children. Please, please oh gracious do-gooders continue to perpetuate the myth that Granville schools are the best anywhere. Your charade continues to enrich the capitalists.
I agree.....
Granville Schools the best? HA!
Granville does have excellent schools
It's possible to disagree about why our schools are high quality. Our community's affluent, educated population explains a lot about academic achievement among our kids. Many college towns have good schools.
But it's not possible to dispute that the schools are an academic success. Look at the test scores. Even more telling, read Sarah Thornborough's story here. http://granvillepress.com/node/197
She graduated from GHS in 2007. When she returned, she asked students in her class what they thought of Granville and its schools after a year in college. The response was, wow, we had no idea how much better prepared academically we were than other students. Granville works and, when you step outside, you appreciate the difference more than ever.
buknut, Habig and others like to imagine that Granville is a failure. In fact, it's a success. That doesn't mean it's perfect. It does mean that we shouldn't take it for granted. We need to nurture what's good and avoid the mistakes that so many other sprawl-based communities have made.
Sarah Thornborough?
Sarah's modest record of accomplishment speaks for itself. Fortunately, many Granville graduates have fared better, although not outside the middle third of high school graduates from suburban districts in terms of scholarships received, ACT scores, selective college acceptance rates etc.
I can't speak for Trustee Habig (who is clearly one of the most accomplished development professionals in the midwest). I would suggest that YesMan's tirade is misplaced at best.
Granvile works because of constant development and change. Granville today looks nothing like the Granville I enjoyed when I was a youth. Sally Jones Sexton owned a nice golf course and a large mansion amid a large undeveloped parcel of land. Western Granville's edge was actively farmed. The concept of condominiums replacing verdant pastures had yet to appear. The schools were small and everyone knew each other. Most physicians practicing at Licking Memorial and dentists in the community lived in western Newark. We actually had children in the schools who belonged to FFA and participated in 4-H.
Twenty years from now Granville will have twice the residents (an annualized growth rate of a modest 3.6%) and nearly twice the student population. It may or may not be the residence of choice for professionals. It may or may not have a majority of the population who work outside of the county. It may or may not have a "town center". The majority of residents may or may not have above average educational attainment rates.
The point is that Granville has never been preserved. It has always been developed (and often for the worse). Granville is a place that provides great opportunity for those with capital to place at risk. I look forward to continuing to earn a tidy return on my capital by investing some of it in Granville. I look forward to earning a profit by participating in the ongoing (and unstoppable) development of Granville. The only thing that hasn't changed in Granville over the past 50 years is that the next person who moves to Granville will want to be the last person allowed in. Sorry YesMan, another 1000 residents will be coming soon. They will not spoil your misguided version of utopia.
Buknut displays lack of both knowledge and class
Buknut,
Your lack of knowledge is extremely clear to those of us who know or have even heard of Sarah Thornborough. The idea that Sarah is/was in the middle third of just about anything is quite amusing. Top 1% perhaps; middle third, I don't think so.
But, even if your target was in the middle third (a worthy achievement notwithstanding your disparagement), I don't understand any argumentative benefit from pointing out that fact.
Frankly all you have done is tell us a lot more about yourself.
Who (what) are you Bucknut?
Isn't it somehow appropriate that a 19-year-old woman has the strength of her convictions to use her own name and suffer Bucknut's "messenger-shooting" while Bucknut, the defender of America, apple pie, and at-risk capital, refuses to reveal who he is?
Makes you realize who is the stronger person, doesn't it?
I vote for Sarah - she represents the bright future of our country - not the tired old hacks like Bucknut who have to listen to Fox News for the talking point of the day and who, because he has no real point, resorts to verbally abusing a committed young woman.
I have a few things to say
I have a few things to say to Buknut. Despite the fact that I have never expressed my opinion on any of the topics discussed in this article or the comments about it, I was somehow dragged into the issue after YesMan casually mentioned an article I wrote five months ago. There is no way anyone on this site could talk about me with any kind of authority seeing as how all the information about me comes from the few “fluff” stories I’ve written on Granville Press. The only knowledge I’ve revealed about myself amounts to me being a 19-year-old Granville High School graduate who has written some of the least controversial articles published on this site. I’d like to see Buknut try to pick me out of a crowd. I’m sure my “modest record of accomplishment” is so sparse due to the fact that he knows nothing about me or what I’ve done with my life. To use my name—me as a person—as an example of why GHS produces students in the “middle third” is completely inappropriate.
“Fortunately, many Granville graduates have fared better.” Excuse me, sir? Do I know you? Have we ever conversed? Can you even get my first name right? Next time you want to make a personal attack, try to personally know your prey.
True enough
True enough. Those who understood the negative impact of Habig's plans and spoke out deserve the community's collective thanks and a day of satisfaction.
buknut,from the ancient Greek...
....for:"condescending bonehead".
Diminishing Katey's enthusiasm and accomplishments like that.You should be ashamed of yourself..."middle third at best.."...she's a young woman at the beginning of her adult life.
Beat up on her dad,he's the one you don't like.
Actually I thought hard about this one
Sticking it to a capable young person is something I don't take lightly. However, once you open yourself to the public process, as a journalist (or a pseudo-journalist as a blogger), an athlete or an elected official (think Trustees) you are subject to public evaluation, criticism and comment - fairly or unfairly. I did not cite Katey as an example - YesMan used her work to illustrate a point. To address his point directly, I merely returned the volley. I stand by my contention that her accomplishments to date are modest. It is up to her (and I believe she is up to the task) to prove otherwise as she matures.
How hard could you have thought about this?
How hard could you have thought about a comment in which you don't even use the correct name? My sister, the one you personally attacked, is Sarah. I have no idea where you found my name (which you misspelled), considering that you know neither Sarah nor me. The next time you feel like anonymously "sticking it" to someone, try criticizing the argument the journalist makes, not the journalist. Sarah never offered herself as an example for critique; she simply wrote an eloquent, fair article.
Finally, as someone who IS familiar with Sarah and her accomplishments, I can say that the honest, kind, intelligent, and mature person she has become in only 19 years certainly rivals the achievements of most people her age. If you knew her, or could even get her name right, you would be embarrassed about what you wrote.
Even worse
I just read this Buknut post and am now even angrier. "Sticking it to a young person" is disgraceful behavior. Thinking about it "long and hard" before doing it is even more disgusting. Shame on you. Next time you write something like this show it to your wife or daughter or mother before you post it.
Good point....
yeah,come on buknut...she's the LEAST offensive of anyone on this site. She didn't say anything to disagree with, you just attacked her personally.
get 'm , tweety!
buknut,you just don't like her dad or the rest of us. Don't beat up on KT. She hasn't said anything personally attacking any one or even their ideas.
Don't read more into this than is there
Actually I enjoy the Thornborough's, Granville, the trustees and the whole gang. Facts however are stubborn things. To highlight facts (unpleasant as they might be) hardly rises to the level of dislike or animosity. I'm reasonably certain that Sarah is typical of many young Granville graduates. Intelligent, hard working and well grounded are the characteristics that come to mind. Those are opinions (even if they are mine). Test scores (only considering ACT and SAT and excluding Ohio Graduation test scores), AP credit earned and selective college admission rates are verifiable facts. Comparing Granville to their peers from affluent districts across the country, place Granville students squarely in the middle third. I'd suggest that if Granville students were schooled in an upper third district, their measurable achievements would be much higher. As to individual verifiable accomplishments, I stand by my earlier contention. Perhaps if anyone can read beyond the first paragraph of "Sarah Thornborough", you will discover the real point of the thread. As to poor poor Sarah, she is the same age as those currently carrying automatic weapons, wearing bullet resistant armor protecting our freedoms in harms way across the globe. Like our young people serving to protect our freedoms to blog into the night, she volunteered for public scrutiny when she joined the pseudo-journalists of the world as a "reporter" for the GP. She has volunteered for whatever scorn, picketing, snooping, disdain, praise, recognition or ridicule that she earns.
Amazing
Thanks for once again making it crystal clear that you have little or no idea what you are talking about.
By the way, you are doing more harm than good to the fine members of our military by dragging them into this discussion in order to wrap yourself in the flag.
It is people like you who give us conservatives a bad name.
Stick to writing on something you know something about. That would both reduce the noise content and save you a bunch of time.
If only it were a laughing matter
YesMan,
Good point on the flawed process of trustee selection that "our" trustees seem to always end up using.
I would be laughing if only my children's future was not at stake.
CountryMom
This is a mess
What a mess.
How do we get this cleaned up?
Now is the time to shop at The Wine Cache
So long as nosey do-gooders muck up the development and planning process, Granville will continue to be dead last in seeking state or federal development funds. You actully need to demonstate a pro-development unchallenged community response for consideration of state funds. For those of us with capital to place at risk, we will continue to develop our real estate holdings without the cumbersome state regulations and without any need for public involvement of our private land holdings. The lack of any sewer to the Owens site only stands to enhance the value of existing development property in and around Granville. The market exists and we already have the necessary permits and zoning to add another 300 school age children to the Granville schools without the Owens property.
Time to break out the fine wine - for the capitalists, I'd recommend a fine Oregon petite syrah. For the do-gooders, I'm certain your cellar remains well stocked with the local vintage of Granville's finest whine.
Good one buknut
LOL.
Good one buknut. Your rendition of the uber-developer always gives these discussions quite an element of humor. You play it well enough that at times I think a few don't get the schtick, but it is excellent.
Hey, by the way, if you have some of your "capital to place at risk," I think M/I Homes, Dominion and a number of other low quality builders have some land available where your capital could be placed at risk.
Seriously, you do make a good point about already having more than enough land zoned residential. The last thing we need is more land zoned that way.
So much for Habig's constantly vaunted ability
Well I guess this should put to rest the building up of Habig's reputation.
Now, in addition to the obvious miserable planning that took place in central Ohio while Habig was head of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, we have yet another example of Habig's "talent."
We ended up last at the regional level on this boondoggle proposal. Little surprise we were not going to make it at the state level.
Poggemeyer's check is in the mail
I see Poggemeyer delivered the same thing for Owens Corning as it delivered for Granville. Not much.