The Leasure Farms Development will break ground on its residential housing project in early 2025.

The residential complex will introduce 84 single-family units and 16 condominiums after closing on 74 acres from the Muskingum County Community Foundation in September.

Construction will begin early next year at 3870 Frazeysburg Road, near the Northpointe Center. Single-family home prices will start in the low to mid $300,000 range, and condos will be in the $400,000 range.

This will be the first phase of the project, Leasure Farms Development’s Steve Layman said additional phases could be introduced in the future. 

The new development could increase Zanesville’s population by upward of 3,000 people by the next census, noted Matt Schley, Zanesville’s Community Development director.

To access the full Zanesville Times Recorder article written by Shawn Digity, click HERE.

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority and Columbus-based developer Marker, Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony at  Wednesday.

The speculative building project will construct a new Class A-commerical warehouse with more than 200,000 square feet of space and the flexibility to house one large company or multiple smaller ones.

The building will be built on an 11-acre plot at 305 Prosperity Parkway as part of the larger, 200-acre industrial park in Zanesville. The new warehouse is scheduled for completion in 2026.

“305 Prosperity Parkway brings much-needed Class A industrial inventory to the Zanesville area, which is prime to support a wide variety of uses,” said Kirk Maker, president of Marker, Inc.

More than $13.8 million has been invested into the building already, according to a news release. The project will cost around $17.2 million overall, according.

The project will also be supplemented by another $2 million grant through JobOhio’s Site Inventory Program. The Site Inventory Program develops statewide, off-market properties into more inviting economic investments.

“Developing a public-private partnership with Marker Development brings a level of business attraction potential that will benefit our community and its residents,” said Matt Abbott, executive director of Port Authority. “The speculative building project is designed to meet the demands of a manufacturing tenant and significant job creator.”

In June, the Port Authority announced a low-interest $4-million loan from the Ohio Department of Development’s Rural Industrial Park Loan (RIPL) program to partially fund the building. RIPLs help finance the development and enhancement of industrial parks and their nearby infrastructure.

The building will possess a range of manufacturing and industrial specs, including 20 dock doors, an interior height of 32 feet, and the ability to expand trailer parking. The warehouse is being built with preexisting concrete walls that were done in 2020.

Port Authority first acquired the National Road Business Park in 2018. Its development was facilitated by more than $3 million in funding from a JobsOhio Spec Development Grant.

“We are fortunate to receive continued financial assistance from the City of Zanesville, the Muskingum County Commissioners, JobsOhio, ODOT Jobs & Commerce, and the Port Authority Board of Directors, allowing us to further develop the National Road Business Park,” Abbott said.

The new manufacturing and warehouse space, along with the rest of the National Road Business Park, is expected to generate interest from businesses and, in turn, create more jobs in the county, noted J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio.

The construction work will generate around 50 full-time temporary jobs throughout the project timeline.

The downtown Zanesville Gateway Project took another step forward as the vacation of Elberon Avenue between North Fourth Street and North Fifth Street and Court Alley was unanimously approved by the Zanesville City Council.

The city hopes to modernize parts of its downtown regions through its multi-pronged Gateway Project. The overarching project will encompass the Zanesville-Muskingum County Conference & Welcome Center, John McIntire Library, Secrest Auditorium and its streetscape, and the old AEP building.

Project stakeholders hope to make Zanesville more inviting to Interstate 70 passersby and take advantage of the quick exit opportunity onto Fifth and Seventh Streets. There were an estimated 5,600 cars per day that come off the Fifth Street ramp, Zanesville Mayor Don Mason noted. The vacated part of Elberon had fewer than 600 daily drivers before Fifth Street’s construction started, he added.

The Welcome Center’s project portion plans to build two new covered pavilions. They needed the Elberon fragment to consolidate with a portion of their own parking lot.

Now passed, what will become the pavilion plot will be leveled, and a retaining wall will be added. The pavilions have been in the works since 2021. The CFA hopes to break ground in the spring or summer of 2025.

To read the full Zanesville Times Recorder article written by Shawn Digity, click HERE.

Ohio has awarded three Muskingum County businesses grant funding through its Meat Processing Grant Program for facility upgrades.

The program recently completed its fourth round, where it disbursed $14 million to 51 Ohio meat processing companies in 33 counties. The three Muskingum businesses netted $673,142.

Olde Village Meats in Frazeysburg was given $105,844. Olde Village is owned by Jeff and KC Smith.

“As per the grant requirements, it’s for kill floor equipment to expand our kill floor processing area and updating the equipment that’s in there so we can get more animals in per week, and I guess, be more productive in that process,” KC said.

Zanesville, Ohio: October 30, 2024 –– Marker, Inc. and the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, October 30 for its speculative building project at National Road Business Park. The project will be supported by a $2 million JobsOhio Grant through the Ohio Site Inventory Program. Project partners in attendance included JobsOhio, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority, Mayor Mason, Marker Inc., the Muskingum County Commissioners, and the Ohio Department of Development.

“Establishing this facility is another critical step in realizing the full potential the National Road Business Park has to attract more industrial jobs to Muskingum County,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “Once complete, the building will be a strong draw for companies looking to quickly and easily invest in a facility with immediate access to utilities, logistical advantages, and Ohio’s outstanding workforce.” The spec building is designed to accommodate a range of industrial and manufacturing specifications, with over 200,000 square feet of space, 20 dock doors, and a clear interior height of 32’. The building, which sits on 11.5 acres, will be constructed with precast concrete walls and will have the ability to expand trailer parking.

“This state-of-the-art speculative building is being constructed on a foundation we and OhioSE first laid in 2020 through extraordinary collaboration with our partners at the State of Ohio and in Muskingum County,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “The National Road Business Park now has the full infrastructure in place to fully build out top-tier manufacturing space that will attract new businesses and jobs to the region.”
The Ohio Site Inventory Program (OSIP) was established to create property within the state that is not being developed by the market, but that has proven demand and known economic benefit. This program improves the state’s competitive edge with respect to attracting new investment and job creation by filling gaps in the state’s inventory portfolio.

“We are excited to bring this catalytic development to life in the National Road Business Park,” Marker Development President Kirk Marker explained. “305 Prosperity Parkway brings much-needed Class A industrial inventory to the Zanesville area, which is prime to support a wide variety of uses. This has been an excellent example of public-private collaboration to foster growth in the Ohio Southeast Region, and we look forward to the project’s impact in the area.”

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority acquired the site where National Road Business Park is located in 2018. The development of the business park was supported by a $3,090,000 JobsOhio Spec Development Grant.

“This investment will ensure the OhioSE region is competitive for future job-creating projects by having prime industrial space ready for growing companies,” said Katy Farber, OhioSE Interim President.

This project was also supported by a $4 million loan through the Rural Industrial Park Loan (RIPL) Program. The RIPL program promotes economic development by providing low-interest direct loans to assist eligible applicants in financing the development and improvement of industrial parks and related off-site public infrastructure improvements.

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority has continued to be a leader in land and business park development in Muskingum County.
“We are fortunate to receive continued financial assistance from the City of Zanesville, the Muskingum County Commissioners, JobsOhio, ODOT Jobs & Commerce, and the Port Authority Board of Directors, allowing us to further develop the National Road Business Park,” said Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority Executive Director, Matt Abbott. “Our partnership with the Perry Township Trustees is invaluable in maintaining the roads in and around the Park. With these partnerships, the possibilities for new business and industry are endless. Developing a public-private partnership with  Marker Development brings a level of business attraction potential that will benefit our community and its residents,” said Abbott. “The speculative building project is designed to meet the demands of a manufacturing tenant and significant job creator.”

The Port Authority is working with Marker Development to construct a 201,600-square-foot Class A commercial building configured for light manufacturing/warehouse space at 305 Prosperity Parkway in Zanesville.

A $4 million loan from the Ohio Department of Development through the Rural Industrial Park Loan program will assist in financing the $17 million dollar project. The loan program promotes economic development by providing low-interest direct loans to eligible applicants for financing the development and improvement of industrial parks and related off-site public infrastructure improvements. It’s part of ODD’s efforts to boost businesses and enrich communities.

“It’s very exciting,” said Matt Abbot, executive director of the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority, who expects construction to begin later this year. “This has been ongoing for quite some time now. It will provide our community with a true asset that meets the true demand for speed to market.”

The new building is expected to be completed sometime in 2026. It will feature 20 dock doors, two drive-in doors, 32 feet clear height, precast concrete walls, and the ability to expand trailer parking on an 11.5-acre parcel within the 200-acre National Road Business Park. It will create at least 50 full-time equivalent jobs at the project site.

Read the full article HERE.

A downtown project is one of 35 across the state awarded a tax credit from the Ohio Department of Development earlier this month as part of the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program to preserve historic buildings and turn them into reusable space within their communities.

Justin Wagner of Eight Main LLC received a $2 million tax credit to preserve the historic Baker Brother’s Wholesale Grocery warehouse and building at 8 and 12 Main St. and turn it into a mixed-use complex.

“We were an awesome juggernaut of a city 100 years ago and it’s dwindled over the last 50 years,” said Wagner, a Rosecrans High School graduate whose family line through his great-grandparents are Zanesville residents. “My big vision is to bring it back. If Zanesville gets it right, we can be a premier community that attracts these out-of-towners (from the Intel plant) by having places like this project. It’ll showcase our downtown and maybe spur more investment. We want to do our part to make Zanesville great again.”

“The goal of the credits is to provide adaptive reuse of historic properties while maintaining the historic integrity of the building,” said Zanesville’s Community Development Director Matt Schley. “They must keep certain aspects of the building to maintain that historic distinction and incorporate them into the space. That’s a condition of getting those credits.”

According to a news release from the ODD, the Baker Brother’s warehouse will repair and retain tin ceilings, the original, wood-framed storefront, the original freight elevator, the suspended catwalk, and the metal fire elevator door.

Located in the western gateway to downtown Zanesville and overlooking the Muskingum River and historic Y bridge, Baker Brother’s Warehouse will become a mixed-use complex with office, commercial, and residential space. “It will have 12,000 square feet of office space and 38 units of short-term housing,” said Wagner of the combined uses of both the Eight Main St. and 12 Main St. buildings. “We’ll also have one office tenant.”

To read the full article in the Zanesville Times Recorder, click HERE.

Muskingum County Board of Commissioners was awarded $2 million to upgrade the existing Weber Sanitary Sewer Force Main in the eastern part of the county near the Airport Road exit affecting 1,588 people.

“(The Weber Main) is functioning, but it needs updated,” said county commissioner Cindy Cameron of the project, which will allow for the expansion of service to key areas east of the current sewer system and increase sewer capacity for future expansion and regionalization opportunities, while also eliminating environmental issues caused by line breaks.

The funds for the award were part of the sixth round of the Ohio BUILDS (Broadband, Utilities, and Infrastructure for Local Development Success) Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program. Upgrades to the Weber Force Main will directly impact the size and type of businesses the Port Authority can market to for both the National Road and Airport Business Parks. 

 Secrest Auditorium and the surrounding downtown area is about to get a makeover thanks to a $6.4 million Appalachian Community Grant to fund Zanesville’s Streetscape Project.

“Our community is committed to making Zanesville The Gateway to Appalachia and a destination for tourism and leisure activities,” said Mayor Don Mason of the project that will see a brand-new outdoor plaza, ADA upgrades, and other improvements to encourage downtown recreation and spur economic development. “I don’t know that we’ve had a Governor in the last 60 years that has recognized, and then put state money to the priority of, Appalachia.”

The Appalachian Community Grant Program was instituted in 2022 by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik in conjunction with the Ohio General Assembly. 

The overall program funneled $500 million into Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region to transform these communities through economic development projects. Competition for the grants was stiff, to the tune of more than $5B in grant requests, according to the Ohio Department of Development office.

“We appreciate that they have recognized Appalachia, which traditionally has high unemployment and lower

 median income than urban areas,” said Mason. “And that they’ve recognized that they can help boost our economies by fixing up our downtowns and riverfronts.”

The Zanesville Streetscape and Secrest Auditorium project was a recipient of the Appalachian Waterfront Development money under the Appalachian Community Grant Program.

The project will involve streetscape improvements along Third Street, Fourth Street, Seventh Street, Main Street, and Shinnick, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.

“Streetscaping is a proven effective method for increasing economic prospects,” according to the news release. “The chosen area currently lacks adequate sidewalks, lighting, and shade tree opportunities, but has multiple private redevelopment opportunities, making it an ideal target for this project.”

Secrest Auditorium is set to undergo a major renovation that will add a new grand lobby and event space, as well as public restrooms, ADA restrooms, an elevator, and escalators.

“As the largest entertainment venue in southeastern Ohio, these upgrades will allow for increased and diversified entertainment offerings, thereby boosting the economic prospects of Downtown Zanesville,” the news release read. “The auditorium currently attracts visitors from throughout the Appalachian Region, and with these improvements, it will serve as an even bigger regional draw to those in surrounding counties and beyond.”

Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking today for Munson Crossing, a 43-unit affordable rental community now under construction in Zanesville.  The co-developer for the $13.8 million community is Housing Services Alliance.  

Representatives from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, PNC Bank, and RiverHills Bank, joined local leaders representing the City of Zanesville, the Muskingum County Land Reutilization Corporation (MCLRC), the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority, and other invited guests.  Participation in the Munson Crossing groundbreaking celebration spotlighted the strong collaboration and comprehensive development planning to address the needs for affordable housing in the community.

“The City is grateful to have a strong partnership with the Muskingum County Commissioners and the Muskingum County Land Reutilization Corporation,” said Mayor Don Mason “Through collaboration and a forward-thinking mindset, we have turned a long-blighted property into a new opportunity for Zanesville and Muskingum County residents.”

Munson Crossing is strategically located in the West Main Street Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) on the site of the former Munson Elementary School building, which was demolished last year.    Munson Crossing will provide 14 one-bedroom units that offer 663 sq. ft.; 23 two-bedroom apartments with 858 sq. ft.; and 6 three-bedroom apartments with 1,105 sq ft.  Projected rental rates range from $330 to $1025 per month, depending on the size of unit and the resident’s income,  with all units reserved for tenants whose income is 30% to 80% of area median income. 

Units will feature spacious floor plans with plenty of storage, and modern kitchens with ENERGY STAR appliances, including dishwashers.  There will be attractive, contemporary finishes, including quality cabinetry and luxury vinyl tile flooring.  Each unit will have a washer/dryer hookup. There are four units with features for residents with physical disabilities and sight/hearing disabilities.

Community amenities include a multipurpose room with kitchenette, package room, laundry room, and dedicated supportive service space.  There will be an onsite leasing and management office.

Housing tax credits were allocated to Munson Crossing by Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) who also provided an equity bridge loan and will provide a second permanent mortgage.  “OHFA staff and I are fortunate to attend the groundbreaking of Munson Crossing. This development is an important part of OHFA’s commitment to affordable housing in Muskingum County and Appalachian Ohio as a whole. This building will bring 43 units of affordable rental housing that will serve households across the economic spectrum. Construction would not be possible without $6.7 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and a $5 million investment from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. OHFA is a proud partner in this development and looks forward to seeing how it will catalyze additional investment in the community,” said Taylor Koch, Director of Multifamily Housing for the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.

PNC Bank provided $6.1 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity. “Access to affordable housing is a significant issue for communities across Ohio,” said Todd Krumwiede, senior vice president and regional manager of originations for PNC Tax Credit Solutions. “As a leader in developing and rehabilitating affordable housing, PNC is proud to work with Woda and Housing Services Alliance to add this new property and units for families earning 30 to 80% of the area median income.” 

RiverHills Bank is construction lender. “RiverHills Bank is honored to provide a construction loan of $7.8 million for this endeavor,” said Millicent Hurtt, Vice President and Development Officer.  “This investment underscores our commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance the well-being of our community members and create positive change.”

Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust will provide the first permanent mortgage. “Supporting the development of new affordable housing options is critical in our mission as a lender supporting neighborhoods and communities like Zanesville.  We are pleased to provide financial support to Munson Crossing developed by Woda Cooper Companies and Housing Services Alliance,” said Michael J. Goerdt, Vice President, Specialty Finance Group, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust. 

Maximizing resources to ensure rents can be offered at affordable rates for lower and moderate-income residents was key to developing Munson Crossing. The MCLRC offered the property at a nominal price and Munson Crossing will also benefit from sales tax exemption issued by the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority for building materials purchased in Muskingum County.

 Additionally, the Ohio Department of Development’s CRA program enables local municipalities to encourage the development of new structures or revitalization of existing housing stock by providing a real estate tax exemption for 100% of the increase in value for 15 years.   

“The development of Munson Crossing is built upon a clear vision and commitment by Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the City of Zanesville, and Muskingum County to address housing needs for all residents,” said Jonathan D. McKay, Vice President – Development for Woda Cooper Companies. “Munson Crossing will bring an excellent new option for affordable housing in Zanesville that will offer space and amenities suited for families with children, along with units for singles or those with disabilities.”

 Architecture for Munson Crossing is being performed PCI Design Group, Inc. with civil engineering by Chadan Engineering, Inc.  Woda Construction, Inc. is the general contractor.  Leasing and property management will be performed by Woda Management & Real Estate.  For more information about the property, call 740-825-7539 or visit www.wodagroup.com.

• Munson Crossing will offer fourteen (14) one-bedroom units, twenty-three (23) two-bedroom units and six (6) three-bedroom units for a total of 43 units.
• The development will include the demolition of the former Munson School, located at 109 Brighton Blvd. Zanesville, OH 43701.
• The property will provide affordable workforce housing that will be geared toward a variety of residents: young professionals, single-parent households, small-to-large families and even seniors.
• The combined project will foster services to support families, aging-in-place, and workforce housing concepts.

• Zane Commons will offer fourteen (14) one-bedroom units, twenty-four (24) two-bedroom units and six (6) three-bedroom units for a total of 44 units.
• The development will include the demolition of the former McKinley School, located at 1428 SHARON AVE ZANESVILLE, OH 43701.
• Zane Commons will target households with incomes at 30% to 80% of area median gross incomes.

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