State board provides $1.4 million for road improvements for TJX project

Staff report

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Controlling Board is providing $1.4 million for road improvements to support the TJX HomeGoods Distribution Center in Lordstown, said state Sen. Sean O’Brien.

“The release of these funds is a welcome investment in my part of the state and a signal that we are well underway in our long journey to bring over 1,000 new jobs to Lordstown, which has recently been hit hard by job losses in other sectors,” said O’Brien of Bazetta, D-32nd, whose district includes Lordstown. “I was extremely happy to see this money released.”

The funds, which were released at the request of the Ohio Development Services Agency, will be used to extend and relocate Hallock Young Road, to add turn lanes and signals and to improve Ellsworth Bailey Road.

The TJX facility is expected to be up and running by 2020.

TJX completed the purchase of about 290 acres last month in the village for the 1.2-million-square-foot distribution center on Ellsworth Bailey and Hallock Young roads. The center will create about 1,000 jobs once it’s fully operational.

TJX HomeGoods owns TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post and Homesense.