MORAINE -- Every day, thousand upon thousands of people drive by the old Cooper Tire facility on I-75 in Moraine, and now after nearly four years of sitting empty, the old building is finally seeing some action.
Heidelberg Distributing took over the old building last September, and now construction crews are busy at work inside, getting it ready for their big move.
"Definitely gonna help our city, it's gonna open up plenty of jobs for everybody it's gonna make us come back alive," said Dennis Dewey, who has lived in Moraine most of his life.
But after GM and in 2009 when Cooper Tire left, about 8-thousand jobs left as well.
"I did lose some customers when GM went out, because I did quite a bit of work for GM," said Dewey.
But with the moving of Heidelberg Distributing from their North Dayton facility to Moraine, spirits are high.
"When you secure someone like Heidelberg it creates synergy and interest," said Mike Davis, Economic Development Director for the City of Moraine.
"Since we are in the shadow of a closed GM plant, to see that we are doing something here in Moraine, to revitalize an area that is, quite frankly, grossly underused," said Steve Lowery, President of Heidelberg Distributing in Dayton.
Our cameras were the only ones allowed inside the new facility, as construction is underway.
Lowery took us on the tour.
"If it's not the largest draft beer cooler in the state, it's gotta to be one of them," said Lowery.
It's a 32-thousand square foot cooler that's just dedicated to just their draft beer.
But as we walked on, we found our way to the front of the building, where crews were hard at work, creating what will soon be a state-of-the-art facility that houses nearly 300 employees.
Not only is it bringing jobs to Moraine, but also hope to a community that so desperately needs it.
"Just hope they make it and hire a bunch of moraine people is what I hope," said Dewey.
Heidelberg expects to be distributing beer and wine from their new facility sometime in June.
Heidelberg Distributing took over the old building last September, and now construction crews are busy at work inside, getting it ready for their big move.
"Definitely gonna help our city, it's gonna open up plenty of jobs for everybody it's gonna make us come back alive," said Dennis Dewey, who has lived in Moraine most of his life.
But after GM and in 2009 when Cooper Tire left, about 8-thousand jobs left as well.
"I did lose some customers when GM went out, because I did quite a bit of work for GM," said Dewey.
But with the moving of Heidelberg Distributing from their North Dayton facility to Moraine, spirits are high.
"When you secure someone like Heidelberg it creates synergy and interest," said Mike Davis, Economic Development Director for the City of Moraine.
"Since we are in the shadow of a closed GM plant, to see that we are doing something here in Moraine, to revitalize an area that is, quite frankly, grossly underused," said Steve Lowery, President of Heidelberg Distributing in Dayton.
Our cameras were the only ones allowed inside the new facility, as construction is underway.
Lowery took us on the tour.
"If it's not the largest draft beer cooler in the state, it's gotta to be one of them," said Lowery.
It's a 32-thousand square foot cooler that's just dedicated to just their draft beer.
But as we walked on, we found our way to the front of the building, where crews were hard at work, creating what will soon be a state-of-the-art facility that houses nearly 300 employees.
Not only is it bringing jobs to Moraine, but also hope to a community that so desperately needs it.
"Just hope they make it and hire a bunch of moraine people is what I hope," said Dewey.
Heidelberg expects to be distributing beer and wine from their new facility sometime in June.
