Tallmadge is experiencing a nice blend of commercial and industrial growth within the last few months, according to the city's Economic Developer Pat Carano.

Miguel Castro, part owner of several Mexican restaurants, officially opened Plaza Maya on South Avenue Aug. 18 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Rick and Debbie Sands, owner of Great Harvest Bread Co. in Stow, have been open for business on West Avenue for several weeks and conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 27.

Dunkin' Donuts will break ground soon to construct a new shop on the Southwest section of the Circle, Carano noted, while Jerry Mosley of Mosley Companies "is eyeing the northwest quadrant of the Circle with plans to build a five-unit retail strip at the old Bob's Big Boy landmark."

"Businesses are starting to see the value of locating at, or around one of the connector hubs to Tallmadge Circle because of its high traffic count," said Carano, adding, "As many as 50,000 cars enter the Circle everyday making for a captive retail audience."

"If something happens at Tallmadge Circle, people sit up and take notice," said Carano, noting that when the city recently completed the grinding and repaving at the Tallmadge Circle that delayed traffic for 26 hours, it makes regional news.

"Tallmadge Circle has the highest vehicle traffic count in the tri-county metropolitan area," he added.

Joint Economic Development District

According to Carano, the most active areas of development -- and those which generally go unnoticed by residents -- are the new industrial construction projects taking place at annexed and JEDD properties in Portage County.

There, construction activity is in place for almost 220,000 square feet of new industrial buildings at the Commerce Industrial Park.

Bob Sly, president of Reduction Engineering broke ground in June for a new 80,000 square foot facility on Crystal Parkway at property annexed by Tallmadge from Brimfield Township more than 10 years ago.

Reduction Engineering offers engineering capabilities on a worldwide basis, including design, manufacture, service, parts and turnkey systems. The company's other proprietary products include pulverizers for producing powders for the rotational molding and rigid PVC reclaim industries and rotational molding systems, as well as the manufacture and service of pelletizing machinery and compounding equipment.

Carano said Sly expects the building to be completed sometime in October.

Two groundbreaking ceremonies for two new facilities, Industrial Tube and Steel and DermaMed, took place the week of Aug. 18.

Carano said Industrial Tube and Steel is new to the Tallmadge community, while DermaMed already has facilities on Geneva Drive in Tallmadge and is expanding its operations to the Commerce Industrial Park on the east side of the city.

Industrial Tube and Steel is moving to Tallmadge due to a lack of space at their current facility in Akron off of Home Avenue, he said.

Mayor Christopher Grimm and the Industrial Tube and Steel President Dick Siess, conducted a ceremony Aug. 20 to kick-off the construction of his 108,000 square foot facility.

At the ground breaking ceremony, Siess said, "Industrial Tube and Steel is looking forward to becoming part of the community and we are anticipating future growth and success with our move to Tallmadge."

"We are happy to have you in our community and we will do anything we can to help you grow your business," said Grimm.

DermaMed, makes products for the medical industry and will house most of its manufacturing operations in the new 33,000 square foot state-of-the-art-building, said Carano. DermaMed President Phil Brady said he anticipates doubling his workforce in the next three to five years. Brady, Grimm, Portage County Economic Development Director Bill Ulik and DermaMed employees broke ground at the new site Aug. 21.

According to Carano, Eric Neff from the State of Ohio Department of Development; Leah Anglin-Walsh, regional economic development director; Bob Filipiak of Cascade Capital Corp.; Portage County and Tallmadge officials met with DermaMed to explore putting together a financing package for machinery and equipment that could run in the neighborhood of $2 million.

Joe Scaccio of Carmen Construction is the builder for both projects.