Wayne Allen
PDT Staff Writer
Officials with the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) and InfraMetals signed an agreement on Tuesday to purchase land in New Boston for the construction of a new $13 million steel distribution plant. Owned by the county, Scioto Commissioners approved releasing the land to SOPA on Tuesday for it to be sold to InfraMetals.
“All of the paperwork is signed,” said Steve Wells, Scioto County Economic Development Director.
Skip Riffe, Chairman of the Scioto County Commissioners, called the announcement “good news.” He said the county has a mortgage on that property and the commissioners releasing the property was necessary for the closing, through which the county stands to gain around $413,000 from the sale of the property.
“They (InfraMetals) are going to start off with 60 new jobs. Over the next few years they expect to be at over 100 employees. Of course there will also be construction jobs,” Riffe said.
SOPA first announced in 2007 their plans to remediate land behind the former Walmart building, where a diesel shop once operated in the New Boston Coke Plant. InfraMetals agreed to purchase the land from SOPA after it had been remediated and approved by Environmental Protection Agency. After SOPA had completed its remediation of the New Boston property last fall, they and InfraMetals hosted a formal groundbreaking ceremony. However at that time the company still had not formally purchased the land.
As further incentive to build in New Boston, the company was granted a 40 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit from the state of Ohio and a 75 percent, 10-year local tax credit from the village. Also, last month, the Scioto County Commissioners approved an application to the Governor’s Office of Appalachia for $150,000 to help InfraMetals purchase an overhead crane that will be used in the New Boston facility.
Wells said there was no indication given as to when construction might start.
“They (InfraMetals) are ready to go as soon as the deal is complete. The building is designed, they’ve got a contract ready for somebody (to build the facility) and they are ready to go. It will happen really fast,” Wells said.
He further clarified, however, that even though contracts are ready for a general contractor, nothing yet has been signed and sealed.
Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 228, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.
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