“If we negotiate any kind of city incentive with them, then that incentive would come out of this pot of funding,” Kettering Economic Development Manager Amy Schrimpf said.
The city is considering a grant or an income tax rebate of $50,000 annually over three years to help pay for a $3 million project adding 20,000 to 25,000 square feet, according to Kettering’s application for Montgomery County Economic Development/Government Equity funds.
The county ED/GE application, recommended for approval earlier this month, seeks $300,000 in an effort that has involved the Dayton Development Coalition.
Attempts to reach Two Six Labs officials for this report were unsuccessful.
The business “is excited to receive this (state) approval for economic assistance for the future lease, build-out, and hiring at its potential facility in Kettering,” according to the announcement it released last week on its website.
It “will continue to develop plans for a potential new facility in Ohio. The facility is intended to support the company’s ongoing strategic growth and nationwide hiring initiatives to expand its talented workforce.”
Schrimpf said the proposal calls for Two Six Labs to locate in Miami Valley Research Park, home to more than 4,000 jobs, according to Kettering records.
The business would expand the former WilmerHale building at 3139 Research Blvd., which was vacated after the international law firm announced its move to Miami Twp. in 2020, Schrimpf said.
WilmerHale had about 45,000 square feet of space at the research park, according to Dayton Daily News records.
A Two Six Labs expansion there is expected to create 80 full-time jobs, generating $10 million in new annual payroll and retaining $200,000 in existing payroll, the announcement by Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said.
The proposed project includes a 2.211%, nine-year job creation tax credit to acquire a facility that will support office and lab space to delivery services and perform research and development for customers nationally, state officials said.
Miami Valley Research Park has been a priority for Kettering economic development since the city bought about 300 acres there in 2017.
Earlier this year, Kettering sold about 75 acres near the Beavercreek border to Industrial Commercial Properties in two separate deals.
The suburban Cleveland-based real estate developer has talked about building a 300-unit apartment complex on about 28 acres.
The city later approved a contract for ICP to buy about 48 vacant acres in a deal that calls for creation of at least 100 jobs and a $9 million payroll.
In previous years, Kettering approved plans for the Community Tissue Services Center to bring more than 200 jobs to the research park as part of a $50 million expansion.
The city also sold about 8 acres to Life Connection of Ohio, which moved its regional headquarters there with plans to expand to nearly 100 jobs.
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