Multimillion dollar project on its way to Tiffin?

TIFFIN — During Monday night’s Tiffin City Council meeting, people heard about a possible multimillion-dollar project coming to Tiffin’s downtown area.

According to information from Bryce Riggs, development coordinator for SIEDC (Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp.), the “substantial project” would be in the city’s First Ward. However, there’s one hurdle that the city needs to clear before moving forward.

The city’s downtown Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) allows local government to grant “tax exemptions on property improvements.” While the downtown CRA covers most of the downtown area, such as Kiwanis Manor, Frost Parkway, etc., Riggs says the CRA needs to be expanded “about one block south” of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on South Washington St. by the first of December.

Experts are saying that without the expanded CRA and some help from state funding, the project is likely off the table.

Councilman Jim Roberts (R) was not happy that Riggs delivered such a short notice regarding the news.

“I always feel like we’re kept in the dark on city council,” the First Ward councilman said. “People in the First Ward deserve to know what the hell is going on here,” Roberts added in his remarks.

Riggs, however, said he did the best he could and wasn’t permitted to give any further info on the project without the authorization of the developer.

A special meeting has been set by council for 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 at City Hall to discuss the expansion.