CASTLO News!

"CASTLO, a viable alternative to unwanted urban sprawl, stresses smart growth"

~ January 2007
 

STRUTHERS – “In 2006, the CASTLO Industrial Park moved closer to its goal of promoting its entire acreage for smart growth,” states Executive Director William D. DeCicco. “The park offers a viable and valuable alternative to the Mahoning Valley’s unwanted urban sprawl.”
The 120-acre park successfully attracted four new tenants during the year: StateLine Paving, LLC, with eight employees, leased 24,500 square feet and expects to hire 17 additional workers within three years; L&M Supply, Inc., which services forging and stamping equipment for various specialty steel facilities; Chimaera Sculpture & Display, LLC, a creator of fiberglass features for amusement parks and miniature golf courses; and a new telecommunications tower for Nextel, the third such structure in the park. In addition, five existing tenants extended their leases: Aqua Ohio, Inc.; Fast-Cast, LLC; G-Force Contracting; Penn-Ohio Sealing Company, Inc.; and, the Tod Engine Foundation.

Retrofitting the park’s 11 former steel mill buildings is considered “smart growth” because such growth is sustainable and enables conservation of outlying green spaces. With 600,000 square feet under roof, the economically self-sufficient park now serves 23 tenants total, which collectively employ about 150 and generate an estimated annual payroll of nearly $5,000,000.
In the 26 years since the purchase of this “brownfield” (under-utilized industrial property) from the former Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, the non-profit CASTLO Community Improvement Corporation has invested over $5,000,000 refurbishing its facilities, infrastructure and rail access as it proceeds toward receiving an environmental clean bill of health.
“Next we will submit a ‘No Further Action’ request to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. That will give us an action plan for marketing the remaining approximately 50 acres of vacant land in the park to prospective business and industry,” DeCicco explains. With other federal and state environmental assessment and remediation grants pending in 2007, CASTLO anticipates the eventual receipt of a “Covenant Not to Sue” for its entire property.

The CASTLO CIC mission includes a commitment to the wider community. In addition to working to positively influence improvements to the Struthers central business district, CASTLO (with 4,400 feet of river frontage), works actively with the Mahoning River Consortium, participates in the Youngstown 2010 program, and is a founding member of, and key player in, the decade-old Mahoning River Corridor of Opportunity (MRCO). This multi-jurisdictional public/private partnership, chaired by Struthers Mayor Daniel Mamula, is focused on sustainable redevelopment of 1,470+ acres of industrial brownfield along a five-mile stretch of the Mahoning River in Youngstown, Campbell and Struthers. Part of that includes expanding the MRCO’s existing infrastructure to accommodate several new structures that could enhance regional employment opportunities.

 
In 2006, drawings were completed for CASTLO’s second new building, a 3,000-square-foot structure, which DeCicco notes the CIC will erect for the right party. In 2005, CASTLO leased its first new building, a 6,000 square foot structure, to Youngstown Class “B” Baseball, Inc. (the Bob Cene Indoor Training Facility), for use as a first-class athletic and baseball training center. A recently adopted CASTLO policy provides for the sale of selected CASTLO land and buildings in exchange for major job commitments.
In partnership with Campbell, Struthers and Mahoning County, over the years CASTLO and the MRCO have sought and successfully obtained approximately $1,800,000 in United States Environmental Protection Agency and Clean Ohio Program grants. And, DeCicco points out, the area should benefit from U.S. Representative Tim Ryan’s commitment to brownfield remediation and redevelopment now that Ryan’s party has gained control of Congress.

Two pending MRCO grant requests for appropriations through the congressman include $400,000 to extend the park’s roadway and utility systems to serve its vacant eastern acreage, and $320,000 to rehabilitate and upgrade an existing sanitary sewer lift station in Campbell, which would stimulate redevelopment of vacant industrial property in that community.
Improvements made at the park in 2006 included various paving projects; repairs, new crossties and switch timbers to approximately 400 feet of railroad track; environmental remediation of an 8,550-square-foot contaminated site; roofing, siding and electrical upgrades at various buildings; and the grading of a 40-acre parcel to make the park more marketable for future development.
The industrial park is served by the Ohio Central short-line, which affords CASTLO leaseholders direct rail access to two Class One rail carriers, Norfolk & Southern and CSXT. Last year approximately 150 rail cars served the park’s two rail-using anchor tenants, the Industrial Timber & Lumber Company and The Drywall Barn.

Other CASTLO tenants not previously mentioned include: Allied Erecting & Dismantling Company, Inc.; American Tower Corporation; A-Zar Construction Company, LLC; Garden Scapes of Ohio, Inc.; JPI Painting, MVP Company; Mahoning Valley Electric Service, Inc.; Mahoning Valley Railroad Heritage Association, Inc.; Marblehead Equipment, LLC; Ohio Cast Sales and T-Mobile USA, Inc. CASTLO also provides space for use by the Campbell, Lowellville and Struthers street departments.

Chaired by Dr. William Binning, the CASTLO CIC’s board has as its president Marion Creed. Other officers include Jean McBride, secretary/treasurer; Frank Galletta, VP, finance; Sarah Lown, VP, industrial park management; William Livosky, VP, nominations and personnel; and Randy Partika, VP, program. Additional trustees include: Coitsville Township Trustee Walter Avdey, Kelly Becker-Rumberg, Raymond Calcagni Jr., Campbell Mayor Jack Dill, Anthony Frattaroli, George Garchar, Walter Good, Struthers First Ward Councilwoman Sherri Hartzell, Atty. Michael Hoza, Carol Hirt, Lowellville Mayor James Iudiciani, Mary Kropinak, Michael Kusalaba, Poland Township Trustee Robert Lidle, Mayor Mamula, Richard Melvin, Vivian Powers and Paul Stebelton. In December, Stebelton, who served as the park’s second board chairman, attended his 250th meeting since beginning as a CASTLO trustee in 1979.
CASTLO supports the surrounding community with its own real estate taxes as well as the state, municipal and school taxes paid on the annual payroll of its tenants’ employees.