Ground broken on new commerce park in North Jackson, Ohio

NORTH JACKSON, Ohio (WKBN) – There was a groundbreaking Thursday for a new economic hotspot in the Mahoning Valley.

The North Jackson Commerce Park has been a vision for a few years now. Once completed, the property will bring more jobs to the Valley It will sit at the west of the Mahoning Avenue and Bailey Road intersection.

“I’ve been waiting for the day to strip these trees out of here and clear this property and get ready to go,” said Greg Toporcer, the property developer.

The new 80,000-square-foot building will sit on the 45-acre site.

“We’re trying to attract regional, national companies to move into this area — to bring jobs and additional tax revenue,” Toporcer said.

It is a three-phase project. Phase 1 begins with building a $7 million road that leads to the park.

“We want to bring business here. We want to continue to propel the Valley forward, and we are doing that. We are seeing that,” said State Representative Al Cutrona, R-58th District.

Mahoning County Commissioner David Ditzler was at the groundbreaking and is optimistic.

“If we all work together and nobody cares who gets the credit, great things can happen,” Ditzler said.

Property developers are using a local construction contractor.

“Bring construction jobs around here and then, hopefully, bring some additional companies into the area,” Toporcer said.

The goal is to have the building completely finished in around five years.