New businesses forecast economic upswing for Coshocton in 2023

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·4 min read

EDITOR'S NOTE: This week we will take a look back at some of the biggest stories in our area in 2022.

COSHOCTON − Local officials believe 2022 was a big year for new businesses in Coshocton County.

Amy Crown, executive director of the Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce, said they had 32 new members this past year. This is the most she can remember for some time.

Tiffany Swigert, executive director of the Coshocton Port Authority, said business engagement is at an all time high and she is constantly meeting with new businesses looking to move into the area or existing businesses wanting to expand. Unfortunately, she can't reveal those companies until they're ready to make announcements.

"We have been met with incredible opportunities for our community and are working diligently to capture those presented and create new prospects by sharing the Coshocton story," Swigert said. "We are grateful to have the ability to share information on new programing and other resources that can provide positive impacts on our industries. Understanding our local businesses history, their strengths, challenges and future desires helps our office connect them with relevant resources."

She said the Appalachian Community Grant program launched this year through Gov. Mike DeWine's office also has local stakeholders thinking big picture as it could be transformational and impactful for generations to come. The program specifically supports projects in Ohio's Appalachian communities that focus on downtown infrastructure development, physical and behavioral health and workforce development.

Much has also been talked about in the past year with the announcement of the Intel chip plant coming to Licking County less than an hour away. It's hoped this could help bring new people, businesses and other opportunities to Coshocton County.

One place poised to take advantage of this is the growing Conesville Industrial Park, where an American Electric Power coal-fired plant once stood. A boiler at the site came down in October as demolition and remediation work continues.

The site is being developed by the Frontier Group of Companies. In August, Business Development Director Patrick Ford said where the plant stood could be ready in 9 to 15 months for businesses to move in. The finished product will look like a modern industrial site with a public access road and utilities like water and sewer.

Standard Power CEO Max Serezhin speaks at a ribbon cutting for his company's new blockchain and data mining center in Coshocton. They are focused on bitcoin now, but Serezhin hopes to expand to other types of data operations and increase power for their operations in 2023. He said they should also have more than 100 employees by the end of next year.

One company that has admitted to having an eye on the industrial park for expansion is Standard Power. The block chain and data center had a ribbon cutting ceremony in September. It's located where the WestRock Papermill was, which closed in 2015.

Standard Power CEO Max Serezhin said they have 50 megawatts now for data mining and are developing 700 megawatts at the burgeoning Conesville Industrial Park. Serezhin hoped they would be live there within the first quarter of 2023.

Genesis Coshocton Medical Center is still under construction and is projected to open in early 2023. The health care system based in Zanesville is currently hiring for about 200 positions at the facility.
Genesis Coshocton Medical Center is still under construction and is projected to open in early 2023. The health care system based in Zanesville is currently hiring for about 200 positions at the facility.

Also slated for the first part of next year is the new Genesis Coshocton Medical Center just off the intersection of U.S. 36 and Airport Road. A groundbreaking was held for the 60,000 square-foot-facility in 2021. Genesis started hiring for 200 positions this past summer.

Matthew Perry, Genesis HealthCare System president and CEO, told the Tribune in July the $45 million project should be completed and open to patients by April.  The one-story structure will include an emergency department with 10 beds, overnight patient observation unit with 10 beds, outpatient surgery center, imaging department, laboratory, pharmacy, cardiac diagnostics, respiratory therapy, a medical office building for specialists and physical, occupational and speech therapies.

In the meantime, Genesis opened a new clinic in September near where the new hospital will be. Genesis Physician Services has 15 exam rooms, a laboratory, X-ray room, spot for Telehealth appointments and more.

Another developing property many are keen to see what will happen with it is the Selby Building on Main Street. Our Town Coshocton took over the three-story, 62,000-square-foot structure in 2021. This was after Paul Gilbert and Matt Parsons were identified as end users of the building after some basic remodeling was completed.

A $300,000 grant from the Joseph W., Fred E. and Helen LeRetilley Johnston Fund of the Coshocton Foundation and $200,000 from the Montgomery Foundation is funding work. This includes repairing the collapsed part of the roof, replacing the entire roofing membrane, sealing windows, fixing the two stories directly under the collapsed roof section, repairing exterior brick and masonry and acid washing of the building's outside.

In June, it was announced OTC was receiving $45,000 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for work. Lanny Spaulding, executive director of OTC, said an announcement regarding progress on the building and what is next should be coming soon.

Parsons and Gilbert have also bought the Frew Building, diagonal from the Selby. They opened Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe in the building in August.

Other new businesses that opened in 2022 included a new Wendy's franchise, Forever Family Grooming, Coshocton Art Guild Gallery, Crystal Aquarium, Northern Belle Shop, Golden Key Realty, Roscoe Barbecue Company, Thompson Ninety-Nine, Lynnie Lou's Boutique, Coshocton Tribe X-Treme Gym, the Venue at Hidden Spring Farm, Ashton's Esthetics and Spa, Seven Sisters Yoga Villa, The Barn Yard, Sweet Smyles Bakery, Das Collection Haus, B. Radiant Wellness and Pizza Point gained new owners in Kayla and Casey Davis.

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with close to 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: New businesses forecast economic upswing for Coshocton in 2023