CASTLO News!

"CASTLO Park Near Capacity at 30-Year Mark"

~ Mid-January 2008, The Business Journal
 

Industrial park board to take a new look at its objectives.

 

STRUTHERS – Castlo Industrial Park added one tenant and two others are expanding their operations, bringing the park close to capacity as Castlo Community Improvement Corp. marks, in March, its 30th year of service to the Mahoning Valley.

 

Argon Steel is the newest tenant in the downtown Struthers park. The foundry is assembling equipment on site, with plans to begin operations this year. Argon is the second foundry to call Castlo home; Fast-Cast LLC, another tenant, is in a similar metals business.

 

Industrial Timber & Lumber Co., Aqua Ohio Inc. and the Drywall Barn are the park's anchors. JPI Painting is planning an expansion this year and StateLine Paving recently added a maintenance garage. In all, Castlo companies employ 150, with a combined annual payroll of $5 million.

 

Castlo board members Sarah Lown and Randy Partika are co-chairing a committee that is taking a new look at the organization's goals and objectives in light of its growth. Castlo's mission is to advance, encourage and promote development in Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville, and Poland and Coitsville townships, the five Castlo communities.

 

The community improvement corp. is working to identify and promote new economic development initiatives in the five member communities and looking for capital improvement projects that will encourage additional job creation at its 120-acre park.

 

The park is a former brownfield, purchased in 1980 from the former Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. After years of investment, refurbishment and clean-up, Castlo's 40 eastern acres are close to reaching that standard in accordance with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency regulations, and could soon be made available for development.

 

Castlo anticipates the eventual receipt of an OEPA “Covenant Not to Sue” for its entire property, thanks in part to a $188,000 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant received last March.

 

Castlo made some improvements to the park's appearance in 2007, razing approximately 45,000 square feet of unsightly and non-functional buildings and grading additional land for redevelopment. The demolition scrap was sold with the proceeds reinvested in the park.

 

This year, plans are to paint and reglaze windows on two other vacant buildings.