$3M in ED/GE funds sought to create more than 1,800 jobs
Dayton requests $1 million for Joby aviation company.
Cities and townships in Montgomery County are asking for a combined $3.08 million for business expansion or other projects that could create up to 1,830 new jobs and retain 120 more.
The Montgomery County Community & Economic Development Department last week received eight applications for project funding under Montgomery County’s ED/GE program, also called Economic Development/Government Equity funds.
The following are projects seeking ED/GE funding, with descriptions from Montgomery County officials:
■ Dayton — “Joby,” $1 million: The city has applied for a local $1 million development grant to incentivize Joby Aviation Inc. to build a new “flying car” manufacturing plant near Dayton International Airport. The California-based company is looking to invest $475 million to construct their first scaled manufacturing facility in the Dayton area. The facility will be home to 1,200 employees.
Other incentives are on the table for the aviation company. The Ohio Department of Development Tax Credit Authority this week approved a Job Creation Tax
Credit with an estimated value of $93 million, while JobsOhio, the state’s private development arm, is considering $110 million for Joby as well as workforce services.
■ Dayton — “Diné Development Corporation,” $150,000: A Navajo Nation IT consultant is looking to relocate its offices to 714 E. Monument Ave. in Dayton, which was the former site of the Entrepreneurs’ Center. Funds would be used to offset building improvement costs. The proposed project would create 250 new jobs and a $6.4 million investment.
■ Harrison Twp. — “Project Calabria,” $500,000: Looking to construct a new 40,000 squarefoot
building, Project Calabria is planning to invest $5 million for their epoxy coating business. ED/GE funds are being requested to offset construction costs. The proposed project would create 30 jobs and retain 101 jobs in Montgomery County.
■ Harrison Twp. — “Busy Bee Auto Parts,” $34,455: Busy Bee Auto Parts is looking to expand their operation by building a new garage and making other site improvements for an investment of $344,546. Funds would be used to offset improvement costs to their facility which have been impacted by high construction costs. The proposed project would retain one job and create up to three
new jobs.
■ Kettering — “Project Transponder,” $300,000:
Project Transponder is looking to develop up to 25,000 square-feet of lab and Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) space in the Miami Valley Research Park. The project will result in 80 new jobs for the region. ED/GE assistance is being requested to offset high construction costs in the $3 million project investment.
■ Trotwood — “Project Papyrus,” $815,000: Project Papyrus is looking to locate in the spec building in Trotwood’s industrial park. The $58.9 million investment will result in new manufacturing lines to make specialty Radio Frequency Identification
paper products that are used on Electronic Vehicle batteries. The proposed project would create 223 new jobs.
■ Trotwood/Harrison Twp. — “Display Dynamics,” $75,000: The city and the township filed a joint application to support Display Dynamics, who is looking at two sites to relocate their design and production company. The company makes interactive displays for museums and zoos. They are also working with two additional companies to set up operations in the building they will buy. Project investment ranges from roughly $1.2-$2.3 million depending on which site they choose. The three companies would create four new jobs and retain 18 jobs.
■ Vandalia — “Electro
Polish,” $210,000: Electro Polish is looking to purchase a new 55,000 squarefoot facility. ED/GE funding will help the company to triple their manufacturing capacity. The proposed $12.3 million project would create 40 new jobs.
Recommendations for funding will be discussed by the ED/GE program’s advisory committee on Dec. 4.
Montgomery County has been awarding grants through the ED/GE program since 1992.
“They have a huge impact on our economy, on jobs, retention of employers and attracting new employers to the community,” Montgomery County Administrator Michael Colbert said.