Positioning Findlay to Thrive
By Sarah Mayle
2025 brought the exciting completion of several community enriching projects – the culmination of years of strategic planning that will drive progress well into the future.
Findlay’s Diverging Diamond interchange at I-75 and County Road 99 opened in November. This important infrastructure will serve as a catalyst for continued economic growth in the booming County Road 99 corridor. Supporting the local workforce, the Findlay Family YMCA opened its Early Learning Center, and Millstream Career Center unveiled its new STREAM Center, a new wing housing manufacturing and robotics programs. Improving quality of life and keeping the community healthy, Blanchard Valley Health System opened Wellness Park, a new Acute Rehabilitation Care Center, and renovated the Armes Family Cancer Center.
And early planning and site preparation is underway – Target is coming to Findlay.
Let’s take a look back at these exciting highlights:
Diverging Diamond
An exciting catalyst for growth, Findlay’s $31 million diverging diamond interchange at I-75 and County Road 99 opened in November – the culmination of nearly 10 years of foresight.
New projects are booming along the CR 99 corridor, a testament to Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development staff leading the charge with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the diverging diamond and working strategically to create an environment to attract investment. FHCED staff members prepared the area for growth through diligent site and utility planning, land acquisition, helping to fund housing studies, and more.
“This interchange provides vital infrastructure to our community – an efficient, strategic gateway that will continue to truly have a great impact,” said Chris Keller, executive director of FHCED. “The construction completed by the Ohio Department of Transportation is an exciting result of strategic planning and preparation on the part of so many – our office, the City of Findlay, Hancock County and other local and regional officials – a culmination of nearly 10 years of foresight and collaboration.”
Construction on the interchange began in June of 2024. While the interchange is currently open, minor construction with little impact to traffic will continue into 2026. Findlay’s diverging diamond is the 3rd constructed in Northwest Ohio and the 5th in the state. Diverging Diamonds, by eliminating left turns through on-coming traffic, reduce crashes by 54 percent.
Sheetz, Inc.
Along the CR 99 corridor, Sheetz’s new $169 million Findlay facility for food preparation, distribution and offices is on schedule for completion in 2026. The 655,000-square-foot facility is expected to create about 750 jobs in the next five years.
Hiring for managerial roles is taking place now, with the first “major wave” for additional roles coming in the spring of 2026, said Malcolm Robinson, director of operations, supply chain, for Findlay Sheetz. Those interested in employment can follow Sheetz LinkedIn page or check the Sheetz website for updates.
Construction of the facility, located north of CR 99 between CR 230 and CR 212, began in October of 2024 and is running on schedule to go live in October of 2026. The facility will produce 75 to 80 percent of the products sold at Sheetz stores – sandwiches, salads, subs, pizza, and fresh bakery items like donuts and cookies. Distribution partners will bring the rest of the items (for example Pepsi drinks or Coke products) to the distribution center to be stocked and as the need arises, distributed to the stores. The Findlay distribution center will serve Ohio and Michigan – about 250 stores, many of which are still being built.
Also in 2025, Sheetz constructed and opened a convenience store-restaurant-gas station with a carwash at 12100 CR 99, and a convenience store-gas station at 1880 Tiffin Ave.
Blanchard Valley Health System’s Wellness Park, Armes Family Cancer Care Center and Acute Rehabilitation Unit
Blanchard Valley Health System completed about $43 million in advancements to facilities in 2025, positioning Findlay and its surrounding communities to flourish and thrive.
Wellness Park – a $33 million group of facilities designed to provide collaborative, comprehensive care in one centralized location – opened in January. The two-building facility is located at 3401 and 3411 Wellness Way (formerly Technology Drive) just off I-75 and along the CR 99 corridor. With its strategic location, the facility brings state-of-the-art care to BVHS’s eight-county service region and beyond – essentially to the community’s back door, said Kelly Shroll, chief operating officer for BVHS.
In addition to primary care, orthopedics, rheumatology, and endocrinology, other services housed at Wellness Park are diabetes management, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and imaging and laboratory services. Two new services – podiatry and sports medicine – are available there. Julie Cole Rehab & Sports Medicine moved to Wellness Park with upgraded capabilities, even a sports court to practice and assess athletes’ return to competition. The campus also celebrates a pediatric rehabilitation area – a completely new specialty offered by the health system – which has led to life-changing strides for area children.
Also in 2025, BVHS completed $9.3 million in renovations to The Armes Family Cancer Care Center and doubled staff. The upgrades include cutting-edge technology, improved workflows for patients and staff, and a more tranquil, comfortable environment. As part of the same capital campaign, BVHS opened a $1 million, 12-bed Acute Rehabilitation Unit within Blanchard Valley Hospital, the first of its kind in Hancock County. The unit provides a much-needed, specialized type of care to the community geared toward individuals recovering from strokes, head injuries, or other traumatic injuries or illnesses.
“Blanchard Valley Health System evaluated the needs of the community and is meeting those needs,” said Chris Keller, director of FHCED. “Great medical facilities play a crucial role in fostering a thriving, healthy community. Without a strong healthcare system, our job of supporting prosperity and growth in Hancock County would be much more difficult. These developments are extremely positive for our community.”
More From CR 99
- Kreate, a vertically integrated design, manufacturing, and distribution company, completed a new $13 million, 187,500 square foot facility at the north end of Industrial Drive, off of CR 99. The new building is the first phase of a larger expansion planned in the next two years and is expected to create about 50 jobs. Headquartered in Findlay with locations across the country, Kreate is focused on reimagining product categories for today’s consumers.
- Ohio Logistics – which provides transportation and logistics services and is headquartered in Findlay – completed construction on a new state-of-the-art $15.8 million, 208,000 square foot warehouse facility. The new warehouse is located a block south of CR 99, at the east side of Hamlet Drive and south of CR 212, and serves to increase production capacity for its customers. Ohio Logistics operates 18 locations in Ohio, as well as facilities in Illinois, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Findlay Family YMCA’s Reinhart Family Early Learning Center
In November this year, the Findlay Family YMCA welcomed children into a new state-of-the-art, $8 million Early Learning Center, supporting the local workforce and addressing a need for more affordable childcare in Hancock County.
The Reinhart Family Early Learning Center replaced the YMCA’s former childcare center, the building for which was aging, becoming limited, and operating at full capacity. The new facility was made possible through the shared vision of the Findlay Family YMCA, community leaders, a $1.5 million contribution from The Reinhart Foundation, and several additional generous donors.
The 20,500 square foot ELC adds capacity for nearly 100 additional children and offers care for infants through school-aged children, with after school programming up to age 11. All of the YMCA’s childcare programs – including the new ELC – provide Ohio Department of Job and Family Services publicly funded childcare as an option for families.
After getting settled, YMCA leaders will develop the ELC into a regional hub for early childhood professional development – a Center for Excellence for educators. The facility was designed with a large, open, flexible space that will allow for professional development – conferences, classes or other programming.
It is located northwest of the downtown YMCA, adjacent to the parking lot
Millstream Career Center’s STREAM Center
Manufacturing is the top employer in Hancock County, but as a misunderstood industry, is experiencing a critical need for skilled workers. Leaders at Millstream Career Center took aim in 2025 at that gap in the workforce through the $3.4 million, newly constructed STREAM Center.
The 10,837-square-foot facility houses Millstream’s new Manufacturing and Robotics program and provides additional space for its expanded Engineering and Robotics program, both of which will showcase the wide array of careers that make manufacturing possible. STREAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Automation and Manufacturing.
The center was funded by a grant through Ohio’s Career Technical Construction Program, which supports technical school facility expansion and equipment upgrade. Marathon Petroleum Corporation and TRAK Machine Tools each also contributed $100,000 towards the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment. Leeward Energy of Arcadia and RPM Carbide Die, Findlay, were contributors as well.
“I think there is a stigma that manufacturing is dark and dirty and dingy, that it’s assembly line work and that is all,” said Millstream Director Pam Hamlin. “There is so much that goes into manufacturing, so many different career opportunities that could be a great fit for a variety of students. We want kids to see what that can look like.”
Through a hands-on approach, Millstream’s goal is to provide students with the technical skills, knowledge, and training needed to succeed in future careers. Students can earn free college credit, industry certifications and credentials, and gain real-world experience toward their careers whether they chose to directly enter the workforce after high school or go on to further education. Fifteen programs are currently available at Millstream that fluctuate based on community needs and the job market.
Target
Progress continues toward Findlay’s Target retail store that will replace part of the Findlay Village Mall, with completion slated for 2027.
“Site preparation and design are happening now,” said Chris Keller, executive director of FHCED. “Preconstruction activities are taking shape for the next stages of construction, and eventual opening in 2027. Securing Target for Findlay has been a decade-long goal. There has been a lot of excitement behind this announcement and the retail opportunities it will provide – a milestone for Findlay.”
Target Corporation finalized a purchase-sale agreement with Findlay Mall owner and developer Rocky Companies on March 6, 2025. Demolition took place throughout 2025 on 188,000 square feet of the mall to pave the way for a modern 139,809-square-foot Target store, marking a significant juncture in the mall’s redevelopment. This transformative project is the result of a collaborative effort between Rocky Companies, the City of Findlay, and FHCED. Target will be located at 1800 Tiffin Ave.
