Retailers, manufacturers showing interest in Dover project

DOVER ‒ A Cleveland commercial real estate agent says that a proposed commercial and industrial development on the north end of Dover is already getting interest from retailers and manufacturers.

"We have interest in the pharmacy sector. We have interest in the big box retail sector. We have interest in the QSR, which is a quick service restaurant component," Rico Pietro of Cushman & Wakefield | CRESCO Real Estate told members of Dover City Council this week. "We have interest by two manufacturers that are based upon Team NEO JobsOhio leads that are regional leads that are looking for manufacturing sites with proximity to rail and close proximity to highway interstates."

Economic development news:'Prize development.' Major retail, light industrial project coming to Tuscarawas County

He predicted that by the spring or summer, he will have tangible projects to bring before council.

Realtor Jeff Mathias, Lauren International CEO Kevin Gray and Mike Davis, former owner of Adventure Harley-Davidson, have purchased a 67-acre property known as the Streb farm along North Wooster Avenue to develop it.

Fifty-three acres are in the city of Dover, and 12.8 acres are in the village of Parral. It has 1,900 feet of frontage on Wooster Avenue. The back portion is bordered by the rail line of the R.J. Corman Railroad Group.

Pietro, a 1996 Dover High graduate, updated council members on the project Monday and provided them with an economic impact analysis of the project.

According to the analysis, the city could expect to see around $174,000 in recurring tax revenue; Dover City Schools, around $479,000; Tuscarawas County, around $205,000; and the state of Ohio, around $881,000. The project is expected to create 247 permanent jobs and 262 construction jobs.

The developers will be targeting fast-food restaurants, office buildings and boutique-style grocery stores to move into the space along Wooster Avenue and light industry for the back portion of the tract.

Pietro said creating jobs is important to the developers.

"This development is not just about making the last dollar," he said. "It's really about bringing sustainable employment to the community and building a first-class product that you would see in areas with maybe a little bit more velocity in the commercial development arena. So we're excited about doing something pretty special here."

He said the project will be a holistic development, where all of the components will complement each other.

"I think companies that are hiring the large bulk of people want places where someone can go and get a 30-minute lunch versus a 90-minute lunch so they can get back to work quickly," he said.

Pietro also answered questions from council members.

Councilwoman Gina Space said people are excited about the development, but some Parral residents have concerns.

"This is adjacent to a residential area. Have you been a neighbor to residential areas before?" she asked. "I think they're worried that they're going to look out their windows and just see fast-food restaurants, and they're worried about congestion."

Pietro said there are ways to address those concerns. The developers could do a lighting study so that lights don't bleed onto residential properties across Wooster Avenue. In addition, there can be reasonable setbacks for the buildings, and it can be made walkable so Parral residents could cross the street to shop.

"I think the key component here is to have something that's a win-win for both parties," he said. "I think there's always the adage of not my back yard, but I think if it's done tastefully, it's done well, it's thought up well, you're going to eliminate the things like that."

Interim Mayor Shane Gunnoe noted that he has been in contact with Parral Mayor Crystal DiGenova about the project and he attended a Nov. 14 Parral council meeting to answer any questions council members may have had.

"We're trying to make this a plus for both Dover and Parral," Gunnoe said.

Councilwoman Sandy Moss asked if there would be sidewalks along Wooster Avenue, because there are senior housing developments in the area.

There are no plans now to install sidewalks, Pietro responded, but he said it was reasonable to request a sidewalk.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Dover council gets update on proposed commercial development