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Alliance economic update: new restaurants, industrial expansions and housing demand highlighted to Marlington board
Summary
Rick Baxter, president of the Alliance Area Development Foundation and Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce, told the Marlington board about new retail and restaurant openings, an industrial expansion creating jobs, downtown programming and a housing study that found demand for rental housing.
Rick Baxter, president of the Alliance Area Development Foundation and Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce, gave the board an economic-development update on March 13 with detail on recent business openings, planned projects and a local housing study.
Baxter said recent and near-term commercial additions include Meijer (opened May last year), Raising Cane’s, a Take 5 oil-change, and a planned Chick‑fil‑A franchise. He also listed new or expanding downtown businesses including Stark Fresh grocery in the Alliance Commons, Zook Coffee, Spicy Burrito (owners of the Hartville Micasa restaurant), and a Modwash carwash that was one of the fastest locations nationally to reach 1,000 members. Food-service openings mentioned included an A1 Japanese steakhouse and a Pulp Smoothie expected to open soon.
In the industrial park, Baxter said IML Containers has created about 30 jobs and plans a possible second production line that could add roughly 30 more jobs over the next two to three years. A 50-acre rail‑served site near the park has been marketed with a phase‑1 environmental report and electrical/water details, Baxter said; the city was previously close to landing a firm that would have created roughly 250 jobs.
Baxter highlighted the Alliance Commons, a downtown hub housing roughly 20 nonprofits and social‑service resources, and a planned downtown concert series and summer farmers market that will return June 21. He also noted the city’s efforts to promote housing development in Washington Hills; a recent housing study showed demand for rentals in the $1,500–$2,000-per-month range, he said.
Baxter urged local students to consider Marlington schools when families choose where to live in the area. “Have your kids come and live in Marlington School District,” he told the board.
Ending: Baxter said several local companies plan investments that together could total tens of millions of dollars and add dozens of jobs; he encouraged the board to continue partnerships that tie school programs to local employers.
