Corso's eyes housing project in Norwalk

NORWALK — Corso's Flower & Garden Center wants to build housing in Norwalk for its workers. "We invested in the Valley Park Drive property to build duplexes," said Fritz Mueller, spokesman for the company. "That property is zoned (for residential). The development of that property and duplexes will adhere to all aspects for (residential) zoning." A similar effort to build a center in Sandusky was withdrawn earlier this year. Regarding the Norwalk plan, about 7.5 acres on Valley Park Drive has been sold for $75,000 to Rock2021 LLC, a company associated with Corso's in Sandusky. Corso's wants to build dormitory-style housing for its seasonal workers, much like Green Circle Growers is doing. Work should get started soon for Green Circle Growers in Cline Street, which will house about 300 workers for the Oberlin business. But the Valley View Drive property, as a potential project, has emerged in more recent times as a possible location for a housing center. "I heard the rumblings about this about three weeks ago," Norwalk Mayor Dave Light said. "It was just finalized this week." The property is zoned as "R-3", which can "be triplexes up to apartment buildings," said Light, adding the purchaser is affiliated with Corso's The withdrawn Sandusky plan Earlier this year, Corso's officials expressed interested in building a residential complex on Mills Street and West Perkins Avenue where St. Paul Lutheran Church's building stands today. It's near the former YMCA property. It later pulled out of the deal. Several area residents voiced their displeasure with the project. The exact reasons for the withdrawal are unknown. "This would house agricultural workers utilizing the H-2A (temporary, non-immigrant workers) visa program and collegiate student interns primarily from the Ohio State University Agricultural School," Jonathan Holody, the city's community development director, previously said. Holody said Corso's does offer housing to these groups today, but it's segmented and dispersed throughout the area. Mueller said the business operates greenhouse operations, growing and selling perennial plants to the public and national home improvement stores. "We utilize agricultural workers licensed through the H-2A program governed by the United States Department of Labor," Mueller previously said. "These H-2A workers are provided housing as specified by that program's regulations. They have been housed for the last several years in a variety of locations extending out to Sheffield Lake. "Travel times for these workers have been excessive. Providing a better housing solution for these workers is a top priority for Corso's. Sandusky provides a great housing solution, affording those workers access to good shopping options, activities and close proximity to our farm locations. Corso's welcomes the opportunity to invest in Sandusky." A new home in Norwalk? When those plans went south, Corso's started looking, and it appears they have found a new spot. But the project raises many questions, including with one person in power. Light gave a statement on the project: "I've got concerns. My concerns are can the infrastructure down there handle this ... streets, ingress, egress, sewer lines. My concerns are City Hall are the last to know about these things. We have no control over businesses that want to do their business. We can not dictate what they can do with this property as long as they follow zoning laws. If that is what it is going to be used for, will these people have to pay taxes like you and I have to? We are still going through this with Green Circle. They pay federal and state taxes. The thing we are trying to figure out is if they have to pay city taxes. If they live in another country and this is their residence for 10 months they are not considered Norwalk residents. I would be offended and upset if everybody doesn't have to pay their fair share of taxes. I hear they will purchase a lot things here and that is good for sales sax, but that goes to the county. We need the income tax to pay for our roads and police and fire ... I think there will be a whole lot upset people here if they don't have to pay their fair share." Light said this caught the city by surprise. "People are assuming a lot of things, but that is a huge concern," he said. "Nobody has reached out to zoning yet. We have not got a single phone call from Corso's. "There is not a thing anybody can do about it. We try to make the best out of everything." Will the Corso's project be similar to what Green Circle is doing? "I am not familiar with all of the details of Green Circle's project, so I cannot comment about similarities with our plans," Mueller said. "We have not had any questions for the city up to this point on the property."